


We 3 + 1: The Simplest of Sums

by KinkyKoala, Smile_More



Series: We Are 1 [2]
Category: No Fandom, Original Work, omegaverse - Fandom
Genre: Alpha Presentation, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anxiety Attacks, Beta Presentation, Childhood Friends, Color Blindness, Dorms, Dysphoria, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Movie Night, Moving In Together, Multi, Nesting, Omega Presentation, Pack Bonding, Pack Building, Pack Cuddles, Pack Dynamics, Pack Mom, Panic Attacks, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Pack, Platonic Relationships, Platonic Romance, Polyamorous Pack, Protective Pack, Scent Marking, Scenting, School, Sharing Body Heat, Sharing a Bed, Sleepy Cuddles, Social Anxiety, Therapy, secondary gender dysphoria
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:33:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 39,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23651641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KinkyKoala/pseuds/KinkyKoala, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smile_More/pseuds/Smile_More
Summary: When Blu, Willow and Hadley find they need a fourth person for their dorm poor unpacked Elliot is dragged into being their space filler. Slowly but surely he's accepted into their pack of misfits.
Relationships: Original Character(s)/Original Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Series: We Are 1 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1759534
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	1. Introvert Meets Extrovert

**Author's Note:**

> We're very excited to write this so feel free to leave us a nice comment and you're sure to get a reply.

Chapter 1 - Introvert meets Extrovert

  
We file into the crowd of freshmen following Hadley’s lead. We form a human chain locked onto Hadley, like an abstract conga line. I can smell the buzz of pheromones and excitement lacing the summer air. Around us packs huddle and people excitedly scent mark each other, eager to claim their members. Hadley’s not fucking around with all that though, she pulls Blu and I along towards the sign up.

There’s no line yet so we’re quick to reach the admin. He takes one look at us and states in a cold nasally voice we need all our pack present. I can practically see Hadley’s hair bristle up. It’s a sore spot that we’re a small pack and this senior has the audacity to poke us there. I’m sure he can smell Hadley’s anger at this inconsiderate comment but he brutally interjects as she begins to complain.

“Our dorm facilities are based on average pack sizes, four mattreses is our smallest, and with the limited dorm space due to last minute applications we require all four sets of nesting material to be used.” The scent of dismissal fills my nose and I can see Hadley baring her teeth. I grasp onto her wrist and drag her away while Blu follows.

I’ve always been quick on my toes so when I see a lone person walk by without a pack in sight, I almost launch myself at him. I’m not about to give up our dorm over stupid capcity limits.

I brightly bound up towards him like a puppy who’s found a lost tennis ball. I introduce myself so quickly I'm not sure if I actually say Willow or just babble nonsense. I present a welcoming face but I’m sure I reek of pure determination. He looks towards the agape Blue and Hadley. He’s so distracted by their horror he barely notices my nose pressed against his neck. That is until I rather loudly call over to the others his status of un-packed. A wide-eyed look takes over the face of Blu and Hadley and the boy quietly utters something about discretion but I grab his hand and as I launch him forward his feet practically flick up behind him, for a second he’s flying. Next thing he knows, he’s being held tight in a pack huddle, which he soon wriggles out of in shyness.

\-----

No sooner have I been dragged away from that rude admin, Willow is rushing off. She swirls her way through the crowd, her green summer dress fluttering like butterflies in the wind, as she rushes toward a stranger. He’s so clearly alone I’m surprised I didn’t notice him before. Probably too caught up in trying to get Willow and Blu through the crowds before Blu could freak out.

Willow smuggles the boy back towards our pack and from the look of pure panic on his face he seems to feel as if he’s been kidnapped too. I try to guide Blu and Willow away from him and into a pack huddle to discuss to Willow why she should really stop dragging people around today, especially strangers but Willow just pulls the hoodied boy with her into our pack huddle.  
He’s far too close to my pack for comfort and for a second time today I feel a growl forming. He smells alien to me, his scent shouldn’t be mixed with mine and my pack’s. Willow’s lilies are drowned out by his crushed hazelnut and his warm almond intermingling with Blu’s copper coin in an unpleasant way. He needs to get away now before I growl him into submission.

He doesn’t seem to know why we are suddenly so interested in him. It doesn’t look like anyone has ever been interested in him, probably hence not being in a pack. We all turn to him before he can run as fast as his seemingly non-athletic legs can carry him. He can’t exactly run when we’re all looking so expectedly at him.

Before he can utter a single excuse to return to the world inside his headphones, I step forward. My scent of Rosemary and Basil misting through the air. ‘You smell almost like my mother’s herb garden.’ is quietly mentioned barely making it to my ears. What overwhelms that scent though is my Alpha smell, heady and strong, for I am, more specifically, the Pack Alpha. There’s tints of Willow too though, fresh, white, lilies and cotton. His expression reads like a book: What the hell have I been dragged into?

After my harsh warning, his head drops in respect and he wriggles away from Willow and steps back. I keep a close eye on him and Blu follows me, I catch him sneaking a smile in an effort to make the outcast feel more comfortable. I let the growl fade and begin to speak. I try not to grumble too much as if his un-packed status is true he may be the solution to our darn dorm problem.

No one would dream of separating a member of a pre-existing pack to fill that fourth bed but no one would mind if we lent the bed out to an unpacked student. Willow can be a bit ditzy sometimes but I can actually see what she’s implying should happen this time. I decide to bite the bullet.

“I’m Hadley. Willow and Blu’s pack leader.” I consider shaking his hand but I don’t know whether he’s of any use to us yet. “We’re currently undergoing… problems with our dorm, it seems that they’re discriminating against smaller packs. As a pack of three we would require 4 people to fill the smallest freshmen dorm. Would you, as an unpacked freshman be willing to fill our fourth bed?”

\----------

“What makes you think I’m a freshman?” I raise one eyebrow, determined to present myself strongly.

“You’re wearing a nametag” the boy murmurs, flushing a little and looking to his shoes. His Pack Leader stands a little in front of him to shield him if I attack. Not that I would, I don't have the teeth to even make a dent.

I’m a little distracted so I forget that I’ve actually been asked to dorm with this pack. It hadn’t even occurred to me that Oakley College might not have one person rooms let alone that I might have to room with a pack.

I glance around rapidly, a couple of boys are throwing rugby balls, some girls in a group are bitching about someone and a huge group is walking around, my palms are sweating even at the thought of approaching them. I look back ahead and notice the girl in the green dress almost bouncing up and down with suspense and grinning like some much kinder version of the Joker.

I feel complicated, on one hand I’m uncomfortable, but on the other I’m included and I feel connected to these guys. But subconsciously I know, I’m glad I found them. I allow a smile to grow into my cheeks just enough to show a little appreciation, and to show the Pack Alpha I’m no danger. “I guess I need somewhere to stay, sure, yeah.”

She lifts her chin in a semi-defensive manner and I can smell hestitance but a miniscule nod shows me I chose the right answer. I follow meakley behind her as she reassembles the chain of her pack. I commit myself to just following but Willow offers her hand. I take it and am dragged along with them, my wrist markers brushing hers. My wrists glow warmly and I see Willow almost stop in shock but then she turns and smiles so kindly I don’t have time to think about how mad Hadley will be at a stranger scent marking her an unpresented member of her pack.

Soon enough I’ve been dragged over to the admin. Hadley writes all of her pack down on the form and fills out the information for them only gifting the control of the pen when signatures are needed. Then she passes the clipboard and forms with the pen to me. I read the boy’s name; Blu. Weird name for a child, it’s strangely poetic though; Blu Sutherman.

I follow suit and record my details with my signature. My home town (Harby Heath), my unpresented and unpacked status, my age (16), finally my gender (cis male). Hadley looks over this, clearly trying to learn more about me, and then hands it to the admin. “Okay, you guys are in room 96, when your parents drop off your belongings they’ll be left in a pile marked with your room number, until then feel free to check out your dorm on the North side of the campus. Here are your maps, ID, Timetable and key cards. See you freshman orientation.”


	2. Nesting Alone in a Full Nest

Chapter 2 - Nesting Alone in a Full Nest 

It’s not long before a look of excited anticipation develops on Willow’s face and she looks up to Hadley, eyes glowing. Hadley ushers us all towards the wall to avoid the dangerous stream of strangers and opens the map, her eyes squint until they’re just little slits and tilts her head to one side and the map to the other. I point apprehensively at the bold, red letters that read ‘YOU’RE HERE’. Hadley lets out a weak laugh, determined to still appear as a good leader to Elliot. Me and Willow catch eyes and immediately burst out laughing. It’s not like Hadley to feel so easily intimidated by a stranger. Hadley seems to catch on to the joke and huffs in fake annoyance, but the glimmer of happiness in her eyes really gives it away. 

She takes the lead so me and Willow follow dutifully, Elliot still seems confused by us laughing at Hadley. Perhaps he’s never seen a pack laugh at their Alpha so blatantly. He’ll catch on quick though, our pack is nothing if not ever so slightly off the rails. That’s what you get when you combine three misfits and make a pack with them.

Hadley soon gets us to our dorm, despite the rough start she’s quite good at reading maps and with directions in general. She says it’s because she’s a natural leader but I think she just comes off better because me and Willow are helplessly non-directional. By the time we get to the dorm though, Willow’s already dragging her feet and asking when we can get lunch. I giggle and Elliot smiles for the first time yet. We’re both equally amused by Willow’s child-like antics and Hadley, like the good pack leader she politely tells Willow she can wait the god damn five minutes it’ll take to find and check out our dorm.

Unfortunately for Willow, Hadley may have smudged the truth with the five minutes part because by the time our pretty useless ‘Resident Advisor’ who seems to be more high of his mind than helpful, actually remembers where our dorm is, after we’ve already been standing for half an hour in the halls. I can smell Hadley's annoyance so I try to cheer her up by reminding her that we get to make our nest today, our first ever pack nest. It helps and her scent shifts from wilting herbs to vibrant nature.

It also gets Willow to stop being mopey and instead she starts telling us all about the quilt her mum’s been helping her knit for our nest. This pricks Elliot’s attention and Willow begins telling him all about her knitting adventures. She even promises to knit a purple scarf for him to block out his unpacked scent to others. 

I notice Elliot seems to stiffen every time we mention his unpacked presentation but perhaps I’m imagining it. Hadley says I need to stop doubting myself but I find it so hard to be strong in my opinions like her. It’s one of the myriad of reasons my family insists I’ll be Omega. I wouldn’t be surprised. We certainly have the family tree to back up the claims. In fact one of my cousins presented Omega only three months ago.

Finally, we arrive at our dorm, Hadley whips out her keycard and opens the door. She tries to hide her excitement but I can see her already planning out the room. There's some furniture dotted around. When we enter we can see to the left a small table with four wooden chairs, there are some cabinets in there as well. I assume this is the dining/kitchen area, the walls are painted a delicate cream although it’s sad we can’t paint them a more exciting colour. The only thing that differentiates it from the big room we’ve stepped into is a white half wall and the change from wood to worn tile.

Willow steps into the kitchen and squeals in delight. 

“Our very own kitchen! Imagine what Blu can cook with all this space!” 

I blush and dip my head. I can do a lot with this though. The cookers are old gas types but there’s a great overhead ventilator with lights. The fridge has a smaller freezer section too, which is perfect for me. Whenever I get stressed I cook meals in advance for my pack: to Willow and Hadley’s delight and my poor Mum’s freezer space’s dismay.

\----------

We walk into the dorm and all I can smell is how sterile it smells compared to all of our houses. There’s no lingering smells of cooking oils or the smell of burned down candles. None of that. Just chemicals and undertones of bleach. I hate it. I hate how it sets my instincts off in all the wrong ways. I begin to wander around the large room intended for nesting and move my wrist gently around the hinges and crevices of the room. Elliot wrinkles his nose ever so slightly as my rosemary and basil fills the room and for the hundredth time today, I feel like he’s invading. Like he shouldn’t be here with me as my pack moves to our very own space.

This is the moment I’ve dreamed about since I met Willow and Blu way back in primary school. Ever since we took that jump and first marked each other with our admittedly quite weak scents. I remember how my brain flooded with happiness and belonging. I’d always been deemed an outcast at school to mature to partake in their imaginary games but Willow and Blu never minded. They were happy to talk, to bathe in each other’s company just like me. Ever since they took me under their wings I promised to myself I'd keep us safe no matter what. That someday we’d find our own place and make our own nest, just for us. Finally, we’re here at that moment but someone is here who we don’t know, someone who doesn’t smell of lillies or copper. Instead he smells of hazel, almonds and not belonging.

Willow must spot me scent marking and she comes over to me, she intertwines our hands and puts both of our wrists against the cream walls. She continues to take me around our dorm spreading our scents and relaxing me. Blu follows us, adding his honey scent to ours and by the end it smells just like my room back home.

The moment is fleeting though as Willow’s stomach rumbles. She giggles nervously and Elliot takes out his phone and finds a place to eat. I twinge with jealousy over him providing better than me. Google maps takes us to a cafe just by the side of the campus called Coco’s Lunchroom. He leads us out of campus and to the cafe which is more like a casual restaurant. 

Willow orders a big slice of cake despite our protests that that is not actually a meal but she smiles so wide when it arrives, me and Blu can’t bear to berate her. Elliot orders the daily soup while Blu and I just order chicken sandwiches.

Blu promises to make us something for lunch tomorrow if our Tescos delivery order arrives in time. I make a mental note to get Willow to ask Elliot if we should order for four rather than three next time, it’ll seem less like a protective act from Willow.

\----------

I finish my slice of cake and am satisfyingly full. Everyone seems happier, Hadley has stopped not so subtly scent marking me and Blu while looking pointedly at Elliot and Blu seems considerably less anxious. I knew they’d come around. Not sure how Hadley will handle the nest situation though. It seems a bit cruel to ask Elliot to make his own nest when he’ll only have about a quarter of the provided supplies. Plus imagine how cold it must be all by yourself in a nest!

I try not to picture how Elliot must have spent most of his nights, all of my pack's parents actively encouraged us to have sleepovers. It helped that Hadley was so on it with sleep schedules that the days that she woke me up were the only days I wasn’t late to school. 

I remember the first pack date we had, we all went over to Blu’s house. He cooked the most amazing chicken thighs and we spent the night huddled in a big blanket fort that we’d made together. We watched Big Hero Six, the best pack date night movie to ever be made (in my opinion).

We walk back to find our stuff’s already in a pile outside our halls. Elliot looks so infinitely confused. His brow is sweetly crinkled and I can smell the way his hazelnut gets darker with thought.

“Has anyone seen a set of yellow bags?” Aww! Even his voice is tinged with confusion!

Blu picks up a navy bag and offers it to Elliot.

“This it?” This seems to only cause Elliot more confuzzlement.

Me and Hadley smile at each other.

“That’s a navy bag, Blu.” I offer.

His mouth falls into a perfect ‘O’ of surprise. He’s known about his color blindness for five years now and not once does he ever think about it. I guess you wouldn’t but it’s always delightful to watch when he remembers. 

Elliot still seems confused. Maybe three times more confused than when he asked about his bags. Perhaps that's a combination of both the complete lack of any yellow bags and Blu’s forgetfulness.

Hadley is quick to nip it in the bud though.

“Blu’s blue-yellow colour blind. He forgets about it though so if he does it again just ignore it.” 

Just then Elliot’s phone rings with comedic timing. He says hello but then is silent for the rest of the conversation until he says goodbye.

“Turns out my sister’s chosen the best day to present, meaning I’m missing all my bags until she’s done presenting. My parents don’t want to stress her out by bringing dirt back into the house so they’re staying put with her.”

If she’s cleaning the house that must mean she presented Beta. Still though, Elliot’s parents must be pretty protective if they won’t even leave the house to give Elliot his bags.

With all his clothes in.

Damn, that’s a full week that Elliot will be missing clean clothing, if his sister has a normal presentation that is.

“Won’t you need clean clothes though, and toothpaste and all the other stuff you normally need when moving?’ Blu asks, barely missing a beat.

Elliot sighs. “Probably, no idea where to get all that from though, I’m already on a tight budget with my student loan. I can’t really handle buying duplicates of everything only for them to arrive next week anyway.” 

His scent sours with stress and Hadley rubs her nose viciously as if attempting to not empathise like her instincts are telling her to. Fortunately for Elliot, he must have a convincing scent as Hadley offers to lend him her body washes and other toiletries. Blu offers him some clothes and after realising I don’t have anything to offer I decide to bite the bullet for him about the nest situation. 

I put on my most simpery and sweet voice.

“Hadleeeeey, where's Elliot going to sleep?” She cringes but I power through. I can’t let such a small boy sleep by himself in a packless nest.

“Surely we can’t make him sleep on his own, he’s only got the school’s provided blankets and he basically saved us by filling in as our fourth.” Hadley pinches the bridge of her nose like I'm an annoying sound causing her a headache. It hurts my feelings a bit but I know she’s just playing up to break my resolve.

Before she can reply Elliot interjects.

“It’s fine really, I mean I’m used to sleeping alone and you saved me as much as I did you. I couldn’t really dorm by myself could I?”

I see Hadley frown. She’s not immune to the way Elliot was so nice trying not to cause problems. Elliot probably can’t smell the way Hadley’s softening to him but I sure can. He’s just as much of an outcast as we used to be.

“It’s fine, I don’t mind him sharing the nest as long as he keeps to his own space.” She’ll probably regret that when she ends up spending all night protecting her pack from a non-existent threat later but I’m sure I can make it up to her. Probably with some expensive herbal tea.

\----------

We walk to our room, I offer to carry some of their bags but only Blu agrees as Willow bounds ahead with a large denim backpack dotted with daisies and a purple suitcase following behind her. When it comes to the stairs, Hadley hauls Willow’s suitcase up and watches in jealousy as I help Blu take his bags up the steep stairs.

Once we arrive Willow flings the door open and puts all of her bags in the middle of the floor, gesturing for us to do the same. With a flourish she brings out a quilted sheet, knitted in all pastel colours and patterned with an array of honey pots, lillies and herbs. “Nest?” She says looking at Hadley here eyes wide with hope.

“It’s 10 in the evening, Wil. Can we wait till tomorrow to do the real thing?”

“Okay…” Willow replies disappointment twinged in her voice, while throwing a couple blankets and pillows together for the night.

Blu opens his bag and calls my name, promptly throwing a pair of pyjamas in my direction but missing by about a metre causing me to have to dart to one side to catch it.

“Thanks,” I reply nodding at him. I go to change and when I return, they’re all in a heap intertwined, and snoring. I find a spot a little distance away from them but still close enough to attain enough warmth.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So obviously we don't know the ins and outs of an Omegaverse but we're trying our best and all in all I'd say we're doing a good job so if anything seems like it's wrong to your personal head canon of an Omegaverse please don't make too big of a fuss. Hopefully, you can enjoy this fic regardless :)


	3. Where did ya go, Cotton Eye Willow?

Chapter 3 - Where did ya go, Cotton Eye Willow?

I wake up to find Blu has nestled his head into the side of my neck and wrapped his arms around my torso, I peel him away from me and he curls onto Willow instead in a tired daze. I look over to Elliot, who’s curled around a pillow as if it were a person and for just a second I feel remorse for being so harsh on him. Then I once again see how vulnerable Willow and Blu look, completely reliant on me to protect them and then I look at this person, so close to them and threatening. Yet so alone and in need of guidance.

I go to make a coffee and as soon as I flick the switch on the kettle, Willow switches on with it, her eyes are wide and she’s leant over the counter watching the water bubble inside the kettle. She slept in her fox onesie, the orange ears bobbing with her bouncing.

As the kettle whistles, the boys are woken. “Sorry Blu…” I say as he looks at me, his hair fluffing up in all directions and his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. I knew he’d struggle to sleep in a new place. I hoped all the scent marking would have helped but he still looks even more tired than me.

“Coffee?” I ask, but he shakes his head, the last time he drank it he scoured Wikipedia for mushroom types and then proceeded to initiate the age-old tradition of pack resource gathering, one that we normally do in the supermarket, I ended up dragging Willow out of a lake and Blu away from Poison Ivy. It was not a good day to be a Pack Leader.

Willow suddenly gasps as she remembers something, “Nest!!” she exclaims and quickly begins running around collecting materials and raiding mine and Blu’s bags for stuff to use, practically throwing Elliot off his blanket and pillow to begin forming a circle, Elliot stands slowly, sleepily rubbing his eyes before walking to sit next to Blu. 

Willow takes over the drink making station and begins concocting something, I walk over to sit with Blu and Elliot. “Whatcha looking at?” I ask and Elliot’s examining Blu’s baby blanket, embroidered with tiny brown bears and crocheted with a weak, lime green.

I make eye contact with Blu and smile weakly, before getting up and leaving them to it, I’m angry that he trusts him. I grab my wash bag and go into the bathroom, looking at myself in the mirror. I pull my hair back into a loose ponytail before brushing my teeth. I stare myself down in the mirror, why am I so angry over this? He’s surely safe for them to be around, but I just can’t help worrying for them, I suppose it’s just a downside of being an Alpha, as I wash my face I wonder what Elliot will present as. Blu will obviously be Omega and I wouldn’t be surprised if Willow was Omega or Beta.

I change into some clothes with a rustic leather jacket and tie my hair back in a tight ponytail.

I come out of the bathroom to find Willow waiting to go in carrying a pair of white dungaree shorts and a yellow crop-top, I walk back into the kitchen. Leaning on the counter, I watch as Blu chooses what to wear and presents his limited wardrobe to Elliot, who shyly chooses a top and jeans.

On the side I notice a small white mug, steaming with a tiny mint leaf floating on the surface, I stand over it and take a deep breath. “Thank you, Willow.” I call to her, something is called back but I don’t really hear it as I lift the cup to my lips and take a sip.

Blu comes over to the kitchen and opens the fridge to find very little but a bottle of milk and a couple of eggs that we had brought on the way back to the dorm yesterday. 

“Scrambled eggs it is then.” He mutters under his breath.

\----------

I fiddle with the stove a little as Elliot leans against the wall outside the bathroom. I jump a little as the stove lights, still adapting to the new equipment, before opening cupboard after cupboard looking for a pan. Hadley moves as I come to the cabinet behind her and there I find a frying pan and begin to scramble four plates of eggs. It’s strange when I get out four sets of cutlery. Willow switches with Elliot and we begin eating while discussing the plans for the nest.

Once we’re done, we begin construction, I stand around not knowing what to do for a while but I soon help by fluffing pillows and once Elliot’s done eating he sets about making his section his own.

Soon enough everyone’s collapsed on what others may see as a heap of blankets and cushions but what we see as home. Willow’s already moved on from the topic of whether we should bother with the fifteen extra pillows my mum brought for us, and already planning to go explore the campus.

I interject which is unusual for me, but in my defense it’s the only way to say anything when Willow’s on a rant. “I’d like to go register at the library. Would you like to come too?” I look towards Elliot.

“Me? Uh, sure.” he stumbles, almost stunned by his involvement in my plans.

I can smell Hadley’s displeasure but she always freaks out a bit when I suggest going somewhere without her or my dad around. I get where she’s coming from but I don’t always need an Alpha around. Especially not to go get a library card, surely I can manage that. Besides, I’ll have Elliot and he seems like he could hold his ground if needed, more than I could. 

Hadley agrees to let me go though, in her own special way, by saying she’ll join Willow's hunt for the best picnic place.

By the time we’re all dressed and ready to leave, Willow is buzzing with excitement and even Elliot seems to be enthusiastic about our library trip. Perhaps I’ve finally found someone who’s as avid a reader as me. Willow lets me read to her sometimes if she can focus for long enough but the follow up conversations aren’t great. She never seems to interpret anything, just takes the writer at face value. It’s a lot like the way she treats strangers as well. She’s too trusting, it’s almost sweet how innocent she is about how cruel people can be. 

The walk for the library is pleasant right up until we almost get hit by a stray rugby ball. Elliot makes an attempt to throw it back but fails miserably. Luckily, the group is nice about it and actually gives him a few pointers on how to throw. I wish Hadley could see this, just to show her that not everyone’s a predator waiting to pounce, some people just like sports.

The librarian’s helpful but by the time I start asking about renewals and whether I can reserve books from other campus’ libraries she seems very confused. She tries to help though and admits she’s only really a student librarian. She points me and Elliot to a rather rough looking boy to get our cards issued.

Although he looks fearsome and his smell is overwhelmingly Alpha he couldn’t be sweeter, he talks to me about the English textbooks I’ll need for my course and even manages to recommend Elliot a few books. We wander through the aisles of books and Elliot picks up some books of sheet music for his studies while I look around for something Willow would like and I run into ‘Wind in the Willows’, so I pick it up, thinking it’d make her smile.

We continue to wonder and discuss books for a good half hour before I get a phone call from Hadley.

\----------

Willow notices a fountain in the distance and is immediately drawn towards it, “The perfect picnic spot!”. She announces, bounding towards it.

I sit on a bench under the cherry blossom tree that’s only just starting to flower, I wonder if Blu has texted me, perhaps he needs me for something. Maybe someone’s harassed him Maybe Elliot’s harassed him. I knew I shouldn’t have let Blu go with him! I’d better check right away.

No, nothing not a single message. Now that the panic has cleared I’m not that surprised though, he always gets caught up in libraries.

“Are we done exploring? I think Blu’s probably ready for lunch by now.” I ask. I turn around to find I’m talking to nothing but the air.  
“Willow?”, I look around, she’s probably just playing, “Wil?”

I look around some more, trying to pretend this is just some impromptu game of hide and seek.

I begin to get frantic and throw my jacket around my waist, “Willow!” I shout.

“Have you seen a girl with dirty blonde hair in little short dungarees?!” I ask everyone within a 10 metre radius of me.

It’s mere seconds before I begin just showing people pictures of her on my phone, like she’s a missing cat and I’m a distressed old lady with no known relatives.

It’s been ten minutes, no one has seen her. She’s nowhere to be found and I can't smell her from far away yet as she’s unpresented. I call Blu, desperate.

\----------

I pick up the call, “Hey, Hadley are you ready to get lunch yet?”

“I would be if I could fucking find Willow! Please tell me she’s with you. I swear I only looked away to check my phone and then she was gone!”

“It’s fine, it’s alright I mean, she can’t have gone far. No, she’s not with me but I’ll check the ‘Find my Pack’ app.”

“Hurry! Hurry! She’s so ditzy! What if someone’s taken her? I mean she’s not far off presenting at this point you know that makes her a target for kidnappers!”

“It’s being slow! Give me a minute. No, you don’t need to get it open too, you know that’ll only make it slower for both of us. Besides, Willow probably just got lost again, not kidnapped, seriously Hadley.”

“It’s loaded, it says she’s in the building next to you.”

Then Hadley cuts the call. Just like that. I turn to Elliot and explain that no, nothing is actually wrong, just that Hadley’s deathly afraid of Willow’s wanderings.

“We should probably head over just in case though, right?”

“Sure, besides, it’s about time I made that lunch I promised you.”


	4. The way you present yourself

Chapter 4 - The way you Present Yourself

I end the call and sprint into the building nearest which happens to be a series of lecture halls and a block of toilets. I follow the very strong smell of lilies and cotton right through the corridors to the nearest set of cubicles. 

My heart cracks when I hear Willow crying. I bare my teeth ready to tackle whoever or whatever decided to mess with her. With my pack.

There’s nothing there though when I round the corner, just my pack mate crying and frantically scrubbing her hands. They look red and cracked, every wipe she does causes her to wince. I’m frozen to the spot. Why is she doing this, what is happening? Why is she crying? I try desperately to get her attention as I walk over, anything to get her to stop hurting herself.

Then, I take a breath and smell it. The scent of Beta and blood.

\----------

I spot a fountain and blossom trees. My brain lights up with picture perfect, pinterest worthy picnic ideas.

I start sweating but I put it down to it being hot outside and that I'm super excited to finally explore. I turn around to see Hadley sit down to check her phone and I go round the tree to see all the beautiful petals falling from the sky.

All of a sudden a wave comes over me, like I can’t breathe. Like I should be as far away from everyone as possible because they’re dangerous, because I don't understand their scents. I can not breathe because there’s bacteria in the air and overpowering aromas. It’s everywhere, everywhere is coated in this thick, smoggy air. I can't allow the pathogens into my body. I have to get somewhere inside, somewhere with air conditioning and soap. So much fucking soap. I look down at the mud casing the bottom of my shoes and I think I’m going to be sick.

My eyes dart about and I see a ‘W.C’ sign, I stumble towards it. Even before I get into the cubicle, I’m so flustered and hot and uncomfortable that I start crying. There’s no smell of copper pennies, honey or what I want most, Hadley’s rosemary and basil. Only the harsh and metallic scent of blood coming from between my legs.

I rush to the sinks in a frantic attempt to get the blood off me and my hands. I can’t even be bothered with decency at this point, I’m so desperate to get the blood off my thighs. I take a hold of a wad of toilet paper and cover it in soap and water until it’s just a mush of cleanliness in my hand. I take it and desperately scrub between my thighs where the thin tendrils of red have already stained my skin.

I scrub and scrub and scrub till I can’t see if the blood is coming from inside me or my skin is just that red. I move onto my hands which I just know have already been invaded with the bacteria from outside. I load them with soap and circle my hands over and over again until I’m sure the bacteria is gone. I still don’t smell right though, I wonder fleetingly if the soap will make me smell better. If the reason no one is here right now, why my pack is gone is because I'm not clean enough.

I repeat my cleaning process with my hands this time focusing on the wrist glands , making sure they're clean enough for my pack. Making sure I’m clean for them. Please let me be clean enough for them. 

\----------

“Willow?” I say, tenderly.

She looks around to me, her cheeks shiny with tears. “It’s okay.” I say, as I pull her into a tight hug. “Everything’s going to be okay. I’m here now.”

She grasps onto me pressing her nose tightly to my mating glands and I call Blu again.

\----------

Along with Elliot, I walk down the path, stopping to gaze at the fountain.

My phone rings “Hey?” I say.

“Where are you?” Hadley seems alarmed and on edge.

“Pretty close, why?” I respond.

“Willow presented. Get here now.” She sounds almost angry, but I know it’s just the pheromones talking. It’s only then when I notice the quiet whimpers on the other end of the phone.

I grab Elliot’s hand, he looks up at me, dazed and confused. I babble some nonsense in my panic but he seems to get the message.

We run towards the bathroom, taking note of the unisex sign before we burst in. As soon as I see Willow, she’s all I care about, I hug her from behind joining the group. But, she’s not content without wriggling free, which almost visibly pains her, to pull Elliot in too. However once she’s gathered all of us she visibly relaxes.

A sharp smell bursts through my nostrils behind the calm Beta scent, the smell of angry Alpha. I barely have a chance to tell Hadley to get over herself before she’s full on snarling at Elliot. I swear all that’s stopping Hadley from snapping and tackling Elliot to the ground is how tightly Willow has wound herself around him.

“Hey, Wil, look what I got for you.” I pull out the book I got from the library, she smiles and says “You better sterilize that before you bring it into the dorm”.

“Speaking of which,” Hadley mentions. “We should get you home”.

“No, no!” Willow begins to panic. “I can’t go back out there.” She starts to cry again. She hysterically warbles about the bacteria in the air and all of the dirt. It hurts me to my core to see our Willow, our bubbly, happy Willow cry her eyes out until she’s barely standing, just a crumpled heap in Elliot’s arms.

“It’s gonna be alright”, I hear him say as he scoops up Willow in a bridal carry. “Look, you’re not even going to touch the floor.”

\----------

She cries out as I pick her up, like I‘ve branded her with a hot poker. I try not to move her about so much as I know it’ll only take one stain on her dungarees to turn her into a bundle of despair. I don’t know much about Beta presentations aside from the recent texts from my family. But, I do know that unless we get Willow back to the dorm now, Blu and Hadley are one hundred percent going to start building a nest in this unisex toilet for her. 

As the only person here who’s not currently got pheromones and instincts screaming at them to protect the pack and start nesting I know I need to be the one that takes Willow out of the place she’s deemed as safe.

Even as I begin to move toward the door Willow is crying out to Hadley and Blu. Blu seems utterly conflicted, he’s of relatively sound mind right now as unpresented but I’m sure the scent of angry Pack Alpha and upset Pack Beta will crack his logic soon enough. He must understand what I’m trying to do for his pack though as he decides to soothe Hadley rather than joining her in trying to get Willow back to the bathroom.

As we move through the corridors and closer to the door that me and Blu came in through, Willow becomes more distraught. She buries her head in my clothing in an attempt to not breathe in the air. I’m suddenly very glad I'm wearing Blu's clothing that she might faintly recognise rather than my own, unfortunately I think she’s already marking me as her own. As one of her pack members. At least that’s what all the wriggling against me is doing, even if she doesn’t realise it.

I power through and ignore the bursts of electricity that happen every time she nudges her glands against mine.

People must smell us coming or maybe they can hear Hadley’s growls and Willows cries as we don’t see anyone for the entire walk back to the dorms. Willow finally lifts her head out of my top and looks around blearily when we get her back to the dorm. Hadley also stops growling as Willow calms at the sight of her nest. 

I gently put Willow down onto the quilt she had so proudly presented us yesterday and she smothers herself in it, rubbing her scent on it and breathing in the intermingling scents of Hadley and Blu. She doesn’t get enough time to properly scent it though as Hadley and Blu are by her side in an instant. Hurriedly hugging her and the scent of pack rushes through the dorm. Blu mouths a thank you to me and I see Hadley give me a half smile now that she finally sees what I’ve been trying to do. 

I make my way to the door, trying to make my escape quiet so as not to disturb or distress Willow more than I already have but I’m stopped in my tracks when Willow calls out to me.

“Please stay. Please don’t leave, please.” She keeps repeating plees under her breath until I make it back to the centre of the nest. She drags me down and into their pack cuddle before scenting me for the second time since I met her. The warmth that spreads through my chest feels similar to syrup. Even the indignant huff of Hadley can’t bring me down from this high. 

Because Willow just claimed me as hers. As part of her pack.


	5. 1 of Us

Chapter 5 - 1 of Us

I see Willow smile as she curls up in the blankets and I’m so glad Elliot did that. I also don’t know why I trusted him then, when he was taking one of our pack members to an unknown location. Why I chose to stay back and comfort Hadley, instead of standing by Willow. I trusted him, I trust him.

“You should probably let her parents know”, Elliot suggests to Hadley, who promptly takes out her phone and starts texting away.

After a couple of minutes, she puts her head on Willow’s shoulder and softly tells her: “They want me to tell you how proud of you they are and how much they love you.”

We lay like that for a little longer, just holding each other, until I announce that it’s storytime and we form a tight circle. Hadley’s still holding onto Willow and strokes her hair as she wiggles, not being able to sit still for long. I take out the book, making a point of wiping it over with some chemicals that we had been provided by the school.

I start telling tales of a plethora of animals, and for once Willow actually listens as Mole completes his spring cleaning tasks, before casting away his brushes and going on an adventure, picking up friends on the way.

“Just like how we met you, Elliot.” She mumbles sleepily, still in Hadley’s arms. Shortly before falling asleep.

\----------

“I can’t feel my... anything.” Hadley quietly mentions a couple hours later. Willow’s been lying almost knocked out on her legs for a considerable chunk of storytime which is admittedly amazing pack tradition. I walk over and take Willow in my arms, leaving Haldey to stretch out her numb limbs placing her in the middle of the nest, leaving plenty of room for Blu and Hadley to form a cuddly barrier around her.

I shift to the other side, watching as they surround her. “Hey… Elliot.” I see Hadley gesturing for me to come closer.

“Yeah?” I say, confused at her sudden invitation.

“She cares about you, you know.”, she’s not looking at me, but then she lifts her head and speaks, “Maybe you should join us over here tonight, she’d want you close.”

I smile, coming closer. “She claimed you didn’t she? As one of us?” I hear whispered in my ear.

“Yeah, I’m sorry.” I reply quietly.

“It’s okay.” Hadley replies, pulling me closer. Brushing her wrist against my neck and repeating the process, now I’m properly one of hers.

\----------

As the sun shines in rays through the gaps in the curtain, it highlighted the tiny specks of dust floating in the air, Willow would usually watch enchanted by this but today it makes her shiver against me.

I’ve been awake nearly all night, without moving even an inch further from them all the while.

“Good morning, sunshine” I say, Willow looking towards me. She smiles a little in response but it’s a troubled smile. “Go get dressed, we’ll have a board game day and then a movie night.” I suggest pulling her into the crook of my neck. She smiles a little more sincerely and picks out a dress before looking at me expectantly. I gesture towards a little floral bag sticking out of the top of my suitcase, the one I've been carrying in case her or Blu presents Beta. There's all sorts of products in there to help with the period part of presenting.

“Maybe we should unpack a little first?” She proposes as she plucks it out. She poses the question gently but I know her instincts are yelling at her to organise, clean and tidy.

I hear a knock on the main door as the bathroom door shuts behind her. I peep through the little hole and see a delivery man standing there. Shit. How am I going to make sure everything’s clean that he brings in?

“Umm… just leave it there please,” I call to him.

“I’ve got this.” Elliot says, clearly recognising my predicament.

He collects the cleaning supplies and sits himself, Blu and I in a line and we begin passing the products along the line. Blu first, flicking any spots of dirt off then passing it to Elliot who cleans it properly, then to me, putting them away in the cupboards.

It’s a while before Willow comes out of the bathroom, she’s presumably cleaning the toilet, or the sink or maybe both. When she does emerge to see our pass-the-parcel cleaning line she smiles so brightly as she knows everything entering her home is being cleaned with the utmost care.

\----------

After all the food products have been put away safely and have been thoroughly inspected by Willow, I begin work on a batter. I tell everyone it’ll be a surprise which buys me about half an hour of preparation. I manage to convince Hadley that Elliot deserves to integrate his section into the nest properly even if it’s only for the week so that Willow can be pacified. So they’re all happily sorting out blankets and cushions, switching between construction and brushing their scents against the soft blankets. With every mark of Elliot’s scent on our nest, Hadley seems to become less and less angry about it.

By the time I’ve mixed the wet and dry ingredients and start pouring the pancake mixture into the pan, Hadley seems content with letting Elliot mark things at his own will, rather than only when Willow asks him to. Perhaps because Willow is sounding quite hoarse by now.

Willow still seems a bit antsy whenever she has to leave the nest to go to the bathroom so I make the executive decision for us to have breakfast in bed.

I start getting out the plates and placing my artwork on them one at a time, pouring a little extra maple syrup over Willow’s stack. Getting out the cutlery and trying to balance the plates along my lanky arms. Hadley dashes over quickly to grab a plate before it falls to the floor. “Thanks.” I say, blushing and embarrassed of my clumsiness.

I hand Elliot his plate and he looks up at me, smiling. “Thank you, Blu.”

I give a smile in response, passing Willow’s plate to her, “It’s a teddy bear!” She says, eyes glowing and happiness spreading through the air, amplified by her new presentation. 

“So it is.” Hadley says, holding onto Willow again. Wrapping her arms around her waist and letting her head loll against Willow’s shoulder.

“Board games and breakfast?” Elliot asks, answered by a communal nod.

“OMG! Pictionary!” Willow jumps up, almost knocking Hadley’s plate to the floor.

Blu goes to get some paper and a pen and the game begins. Giraffe. Pikachu. Baymax, all of which Willow was particularly excited about. Practically screeching answers and clapping her hands loudly. 

In the end, Willow won by a long-shot, leaving everyone else in the dirt. Although she may have had the advantage of everyone letting her win.

“Movie now?” Elliot suggests, realising it’d been a surprisingly long game of Pictionary.

“Yes!” Willow replies. “You guys are the best!” She’s smiling from ear to ear as she makes her way back under the upper pile of blankets. She snuggles in until all she is is a moving mound of softness. We can hear the content giggles from within though and the smell of happy Beta spreads through the dorm, followed by happy Pack.

\----------

Then the game is on. Willow calls out for us to find her and we all know this calls for an empathetic “I wonder where she is?”.

Hadley puts her hand above her face in some sort of sailor salute and over exaggeratedly turns around behind her before calling out for Willow. 

Another bout of giggles can be heard from the nest.

This time Blu joins in with Hadley’s act. This time pretending to look behind the piles of suitcases and then saying with mock confusion “Where or where could she be?”

I think of a way I can turn this on its head and declare:

“Have no fear! The tickle monster shall find her.”

I stomp my way over to the nest and lift the blankets up so I can begin the assault of tickles. Blu and Hadley join in my assault as well. We fake growl at her and tickle until we’re just one big mess of limbs and laughter.

We stay like that for a while. 

Until all that’s left is a content, full pack.


	6. Cutest Beta Ever!

Chapter 6 - Cutest Beta Ever!  
I take the executive decision when the others have calmed down from our epic tickle fight and are eating Blu’s delicious pancakes, to call the attendance office and tell them about Willow’s presentation. They say they’ll update their records and tells us that our pack can take the week off to be with her as school work was supposed to start tomorrow.

I thank them but just as they're about to end the call I realise when they say pack they mean our currently recorded pack. Which doesn’t include Elliot. I take a deep breath and begin to explain that my Beta has imprinted on our dorm mate which has led to him joining my pack. The lady on the phone huffs something about Betas and their emotional attachments and says she’ll update all our records and that he can also spend the week with us. I don’t thank her this time, what a bitch.

It’s not an uncommon opinion that Betas often let their hearts lead far too much and are far too willing to accept new pack members but honestly you think they’d vet the staff for a pack-oriented school better. 

Blu must notice how quickly my demeanor has shifted from pleasant to angry so he slips away from Willow and Elliot’s conversation about unpacking and wraps himself around me in a hug. His fluffy jumper’s soft against my bare shoulders and his scent (although now considerably weaker due to the two presented members of our pack) is comforting.

“The school says we can have a week off but we can’t really get out and about much soooo, movie night/morning/day?” I suggest.

Willow looks up with big, hopeful eyes. “Movies?” She asks. I nod in response. “How about we unpack too while we look for the DVD collection?” She nods back at me while I silently laugh that our three movies (Big Hero Six, Lion King 2 and Wind in the Willows: a recent addition) are being referred to as a collection. I glance at the pile of suitcases and begin to open one and categorise the possessions.

“These bags are for the bathroom.” I hand some to Elliot who’s popped up beside me and Blu with Willow. Better him than Willow, God knows how long it'll be before we see her again if we let her in there just yet, probably less than last time though due to her already scrubbing it down.

“Kitchen.” I hand some to Blu, he’ll know exactly where all the vaguely intimidating knives and pans should go.

“And the rest of these can stay right here.” I smile, handing a smaller green suitcase to Willow so she can get the DVDs out. “I’ll organise the dressers and wardrobe while you do the important task of choosing which movie to watch first.“ I tease and Willow giggles in delight. Cutest beta ever.

Everyone sets about getting the bags and suitcases unpacked. Clattering rumbles from the kitchen as Blu begins to organise the pots, pans and plates how he wants them. No noise at all is heard from the bathroom and I picture Elliot delicately positioning toothbrushes and soap so they’re perfect for Willow. Meanwhile, the most noise emanates from the main room, where Willow is running around with more pillows adding everything and anything soft to the nest. All the while singing ‘He lives in you’, in anticipation of Lion King 2.

About half an hour later, we come together and sit in the nest. “Everyone done?” I inquire.

“Pretty much.” Blu replies and Elliot nods. Considering Willow’s already putting the movie on, she must be done too.

“How much do you guys love me?” She asks, mischief glinting in her eyes suggesting she’s very much up to something.

“A lot.” I say lifting one eyebrow, waiting for the request I know I’m not going to be happy about.

She lifts up her pile of animal onesies. “Seriously?” I say.

Blu’s putting his whale onesie over his clothes, while Elliot is clearly not as fond of the idea and is standing with his arms crossed.

“Put it on.” I tell him. He rolls his eyes.

“Uhh, excuse me. You can get rid of that attitude.” I demand a no-nonsense tone that I hope portrays the ‘We are doing everything Willow wants today’ attitude that I have adopted.

He scowls cutely and steps into the unicorn one. After he’s suitably encased in fluff, he blows one of the ears out of his face and smiles as Willow fusses over the other onesies.

“You’re the dragon.” She says, looking at me.

“May I ask why?” I say. Although I’m already putting my legs into the admittedly amazing dragon Kigurumi that I know she was given for Christmas by her parents.

“ ‘Cause you protect us all.” She replies.

“Touché.” I sit down lifting my arms up to invite Blu and Willow, Elliot too, into a group cuddle.

The film begins and throughout, Willow continues to wriggle and occasionally let out a gasp at dramatic bits.

\----------

I’m so incredibly happy right now.

Although, I feel a little like an icarus. As if I just got my wings and I’m truly soaring through the sky; If I fly too high they’ll melt and this’ll all go away. I’ll fall to the ground and go back to being alone.

Blu notices me becoming distant and clasps my hand in his, looking concerned. He scent marks me and I smile a burst of pack pheromones washing over me. Though clearly it’s not convincing him.

“What’s on your mind?” He asks, which catches Willow and Hadley’s attention.

I pause, not wanting to open up. But the way they’re all looking at me. As if they really care. 

“You guys aren’t going to leave me, are you?”

Hadley squirms closer, picking up my hand and touching my wrist.

“You’re one of my pack now. I won’t let anything happen to you. Pack is forever.”

I smile, she makes me feel so safe as she takes my hand and holds it until the end of the movie. By the end everyone seems comfortably entwined together so we don’t bother moving. Occasionally, someone gets up to switch the movie or get food but the hours blend into one long stretch of cozy .

\----------

I ease everyone off me, trying to stand up and turn off the TV. I walk carefully, trying not to fall in the dark.

“Ow!” I hear someone cry out and I wince.

“Who was that?” I ask.

“Me.” The voice says, very unhelpfully. I’d know if it was Willow and I can hear Blu snoring so I determine it must be Elliot.

“I’m sorry, Eli.” I say, reaching down to him.

“Eli?” He says, laughing a little. I apologise but he quickly interrupts “No, I like it.”

I finally make it to the tv stand and hit the switch; the red standby light turns off. Before tumbling back into the nest and curling up with my pack: Willow, Blu and Elliot.


	7. The Absolute Classiest of Packs, No Questions Asked.

Chapter 7 - The Absolute Classiest of Packs, no questions asked.

After a couple of days I notice that my scent stops affecting literally everyone and seems to be only keyed to Hadley as it would normally be for a Beta. I stop obsessively cleaning the shower when I go in to change my pads and this morning I manage to resist the urge to shower.

I’ve steadily stopped bleeding and finally I feel confident in saying that I've finished presenting to Hadley. She just hugs me and tells me that she’ll inform the school that we’re ready to go to class.

Before I can answer Elliot’s phone rings, It’s only now I realise that no one’s contacted him until now, the rest of us have had almost daily calls from our parents. He picks up the phone.

“Hello?” He says and relays a continuous stream of ‘yeah’ and ‘mhm’ and a polite question about someone female here and there like ‘how’s she doing?’ and ‘is she alright?’. They’re not filled with concern but there’s that hunger for knowledge that makes him seem sincere. Then a bright smile grows on his face “Thank you.” He says, sounding relieved. He says goodbye politely and hangs up.

“My stuff’s here!” He announces and gets a cheer in response from me.

\----------

“That’s great!” I say, a little too enthusiastically. I’ve really enjoyed sharing my clothes with Elliot, it made me feel close to him. Not to mention it made him smell more like our pack. I’m kind of disappointed that it’s come to an end. I wonder what kind of clothes he wears, at first I thought maybe he’d be kind of emo, but there’s so much more to him that I have no idea what style he’d have.

We troop downstairs, Hadley insisted on coming too and Willow didn’t want to be left alone just yet despite being fully done with presenting so down we all went together. Despite seeming slightly tired as we leave, our pack basically hops down the stairs two at a time in order to catch Elliot’s parents before they drive back home.

“There are my bags and there they are…” Elliot says gesturing towards a middle aged couple. The woman’s wearing a pencil skirt and a blouse and standing next to a tall man, wearing a full-on suit. I stand confused until I notice a familiar tumble of blonde hair escaping from the woman’s bun.

“They’re your parents?” I ask and Elliot nods. They look like lawyers.

“Son!” The man calls Elliot over. It’s accompanied by the sort of hand movement that you might beckon a waiter with.

“Father.” Elliot responds, walking towards them like a man who knows this is the moment it all goes to shit.

The man looks back at us and raises his eyebrows. “Are you people here to help Elliot take his bags to his dorm?”

I turn to walk back a little but Elliot catches my sleeve “Actually…” he pauses and takes a breath. “This is my pack.”

His father practically turns red and sucks in a sharp judgmental breath through his teeth. The woman stops him with a short “Richard.”

“I’m sorry, Elliot. We just thought, you know.” She comes closer to him and talks a little quieter, fully aware she was not quiet enough for us not to hear her though. “We thought you’d find some more, classy friends.”

Hadley looks completely outraged and a smell of pure fury explodes from her like an atomic bomb. Willow stands back, knowing full well that she can’t calm Hadley down this time. 

“Umm, excuse me. Ma’am. What did you just say?”

The mother looks physically scared. There’s nothing like an angry Pack Alpha to get the blood pumping.

“Oh, sweetheart.” she says, ever so slightly pale in the face. “You know I didn’t mean it like that.”

Hadley moves even closer. “Then would you care to explain to me exactly how you meant it?”

\----------

“I just meant… We Newbury’s are a high profile family. I was expecting Elliot here to fit in with some of the more popular kids.” Her smile fades away and it’s clear that she immediately regrets everything.

“So my pack isn’t classy enough for Elliot? You’d rather have him with a Pack Alpha who would let you abandon him with no clothes for a week without a single repercussion. One that would have let you saunter in here and let you talk down to them and the rest of their pack just so you could feel a little better about yourself?”

I continue. 

“Your son is one of the sweetest boys I've met. Most people write us off as some mis-fit pack. Your son never did that, in fact he helped us when even the school seemed unwilling to. I’m horrified to find that he’s had to teach himself how to be accepting since you clearly did not.”

Elliot’s mum stands flustered and flushed in front of me before squawking something about manners and rushing back to her car.

The father looks at his Omega wife, already in the car and turns around to face Hadley. “If Elliot had to have a pack.” He pauses, looking her in the eye. “I’m glad he found one with a strong leader, that’ll do anything, even stand up to my wife, to look out for her pack.” He nods to her and while walking past Elliot, says in his ear “These ones are much better than your old pack.”

“Well… they’ve got character.” Willow says, laughing awkwardly.

\----------

Hadley’s like a pot of water that just boiled over and is still bubbling even though the heat’s been turned off. She’s still scowling as we drag my bags up the stairs. Blu and Willow walk into the dorm.

“Hey, Had, can I talk to you for a sec?” She holds back with me. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry about them. This pack is amazing and more than classy enough for me.”

“I know.” Hadley says. “You don’t have to worry, you’re not like them. I can tell.” she assures. I nod, comforted.

We walk into the dorm and I set about unpacking my bags, clothes into the wardrobe and toiletries in the bathroom. Blu comes to help me fold my clothes and he really looks like he wants to tell me something.

\----------

“What is it?” Elliot asks.

“What’s what?” I ask.

“What do you want to ask me?” He questions.

I roll my eyes a little and smile. “I just really want to know.” Elliot lifts his eyebrows, waiting for the rest. “Your parents said something about an old pack. What did they mean?” Elliot’s expression changes, he looks down at his shoes.

“Maybe I’ll tell you about it some other day, not now though. Give me some time.” He shakes his head and looks at me with eyes full of promise. I don’t investigate further, he’ll tell me when he’s ready. We continue to unpack his stuff in silence.

A couple minutes pass and I see Elliot start looking really stressed and the smell of anxiety wafts through the air.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, eminently concerned.

“I’m just, umm, missing something.” He takes out his phone and heads out of the dorm, I follow, worried.

He dials a number in the corridor and his forehead is a little shiny with sweat. “Are you feeling okay?” I say, getting more concerned by the second.

“They must still be driving home.” He says to himself. He’s so distressed I can feel it, and by the sound of footsteps so can Hadley.

\----------

I have no idea where it could be. I packed it, I know I did, but it’s not in my bag. I’m sweating so bad.

“What on earth is going on out here?” Hadley demands before looking at me. “Are you sick?” she asks, softly.

“No, I’m just. I’m, uhh. I’m fine.” I can’t speak properly, I just need it, where the fuck is it?

“Whatever you say.” She says, holding me. I instinctively coil into her. Sniffing her strong herby scent helps a lot but I still feel wrong.

I have no idea what’s happening with me, but I'm not fine. My head is dizzy with panic and I can feel the way my clothes are sticking to me.

“He says he’s missing something.” Blu claims and I wince. I blame my dad for bringing it up, I wouldn't even have looked for it today if he hadn’t reminded me.

\----------

“Okay, well, we’ll find it okay.” She runs her fingers through my hair. “Let’s go check your bag again okay? Are you sure you packed whatever it is?”

I open my mouth to talk but my throat’s suddenly so dry that I just croak. She takes me inside and Willow’s smile is wiped from her face. She comes over and hugs me as Hadley and Blu check every pocket of my bag. I cuddle into her just like I did Hadley. Something about the way she tucks my head into her neck feels so natural that I can’t bring myself to stop myself from rubbing her scent on me.

“You ready to tell us what we’re looking for?” Hadley queries.

“It's a umm, a jumper. But it’s not just a jumper, it’s special it-”

“Shhh, it’s okay.” Willow hushes and cards her fingers through my hair. I realise that I’d started talking fast and forgotten to breathe. I try to mimic her soft breaths.

“We understand.” Blu says but I can hear it’s laced with more uncertainty and concern that I have any right to invoke. They continue looking for hours.

We were gradually calming down the search to my dismay until my phone rings. I practically jump at it.

“Hello? Yeah I called, where’s my jumper? I packed it, you must have taken it out. Tell me you took it out.”

“We didn’t take it out. We haven’t touched anything so you must have forgotten to pack it.” My mother says in a tone that implies she’s rather glad it’s gone. She hates that I keep it still, she never liked him very much, just barely tolerated him for ‘my sake’.

I take a breath and continue “It was his jumper. You know how much it means.” I stop abruptly, having been interrupted.

“Yes, you’ve made it quite clear that that rag is important with the way you’re shouting at us. If you must know I think I saw your father move it into the charity pile. I mean surely you don’t need it now that you've got those others.” She says this in such a way that I can just imagine the smirk she has on her face. As if somehow she’s won by bringing up my ‘distasteful pack’. 

“Goodby, Mother. Tell Sammy I’m happy her presentation went smoothly.” I say sharply and hang up. How dare she do this? What on earth were her and Dad thinking? That somehow I’d forgotten about Rowan’s jumper and wouldn’t notice it missing. 

I crouch down to the floor, burying my face in my hands.

I need it. I need to be able to feel the fabric in my hands. To know I can turn that label and see his name written poorly in biro.

I’ve never needed it so bad. I can’t stop thinking about it and what I’d do without it, what if I never find it again, what if I forget about him completely because I was so careless, what if I never smell that timber and rain ever again.

It’s not until now I’ve realised I haven’t been breathing. That I can’t breathe. I am the victim to panic and it chokes me, restricting my airways and causing a waterfall to pour from my eyes.

I hear Willow next to me, Hadley in the background but I don’t know what they’re saying. That is until Blu lifts my chin to look at him and I hear his next words clearly.

“It’s going to be okay, Eli”. I look at him, “Just breathe.” I take a breath and I’m so dizzy I almost fall from my crouched position. He sits me down properly and keeps telling me to breathe. I listen, hugging my arms around myself and falling into Blu. Suddenly deathly cold and grabbing at his heat. I can’t imagine why I feel so shaky and shivery though because I can also feel the way everything is clinging to my sweaty skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're so happy that we reached 100 hits :D  
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> Catcha later ☜(ˆ▿ˆc)


	8. You Can Purr? Fucking Hell!

Chapter 8 - You can Purr? Fucking Hell

“Are you ready to stand?” Blu asks. I nod and he wraps my arms around his shoulders. He stands.

My head spins as I stand and I fully fall into Blu. “Had!” He calls and she comes to catch me. I’m sweating worse than I ever have during a panic attack before, I open my eyes and see all 3 of them around me.

Fever sweeps through my body and I just can’t stand.

\----------

I launch forward to catch him and Blu. I know near to nothing about him especially about all this old pack nonsense and yet it feels like I’ve known him forever, like he’s been one of us since the beginning.

“Eli?” I try to get him to respond but he’s barely conscious. I sit him down in the nest, resting his back against some pillows.

“Should we call, like, a medic or something?” Willow asks, frightened by his state.

It suddenly hits me.

“No, I think. Could he be?” I reach to put the back of my hand against his forehead and the intense heat radiates before I even touch him. I push my nose against his neck and practically choke on the deep scent of Omega.

“Something’s triggered his presentation, probably stress. He’s going into heat.” I say cooly, but I’m dumbstruck in disbelief.

Willow’s mouth falls agape. “That can happen?” She inquires. We’ve only just got her through presenting and now we’ve got Elliot burning up and half fainted in our nest. 

“Happened to my mother.” Blu says, confirming my diagnosis with a quick sniff of the air that is quickly filling with that sweet hazelnut and almond scent coupled with a dizzying heat scent. “I’ll call the school, ask them what to do.” Blu suggests.

It’s a couple minutes later before Blu comes back with a huge glass of water and a wet flannel. He passes them to me and explains.

“They said to make sure he stays hydrated and keep him as cool as we can. Apparently, Elliot has all the symptoms of heat sickness. It’ll break if we can keep him cool enough but if it takes longer than a day we’re supposed to call the infirmary again.”

\----------

I wake up to fire burning inside my stomach. And a simmering sensation all over, like a sunburn. One hell of a sunburn.

“Eli, you’re awake!” Willow declares, bounding over and crouching by my side.

It feels like my arteries are pumping molten metal instead of blood. Hadley rushes over, fussing over me with a flannel. 

I struggle to speak. “Wa-Water.” I say through a throat completely drained and torrid. Yet I feel wet all over from what feels like a sticky mess of sweat and something like slick? 

No, probably just excess sweat from my weird fainting spell. I wonder vaguely if I fell because my muscles are sore and tense like I’ve run a marathon.

A tall glass is bought over to me and I lurch forward towards it. Blu brings it to my lips and it rushes down my esophagus. It’s so cold it feels sharp against my overheating insides.

“Are you feeling better?” Blu asks, cleaning my sore, tear-stained cheeks.

I open my mouth, gawping trying to speak.

“It’s okay, don’t try to speak if you can’t.” I cuddle close and rest my head on his shoulder. He lowers his head onto my head, keeping me tucked under him, I turn ever so slightly so I can breathe in his honey scent. Despite its sweetness it has a dark undertone that I’m only now noticing. One that makes my body go lax onto him and one that seems to make my blood pump even harder.

\----------

I watch Elliot practically melt into Blu with avid curiosity, it’s odd for a newly presented Omega to be so cuddly with an unpresented. I kind of expected him to seek out Hadley, or even me but the way he’s sniffing Blu and they’re nuzzling: their scents into each other it’s almost like watching my parents. Which is odd and strangely endearing.

Hadley seems equally confused and I can tell she’s just waiting to find a gap so she can go and scent Elliot all over before some other Alpha knothead does. Finally him and Blu move apart just enough that Hadley can squeeze in. She smothers Elliot and Blu and to our surprise a loud purr can be heard emanating from Elliot.

He looks so confused when we all turn to him and a question barely leaves his lips before I tackle hug him.

“You can purr!”

He lets out an oomph and Hadley peels me off him almost as quickly as I can get my arms around him. Not before I swish my wrist against his though causing him to purr yet again. If it weren’t for Hadley keeping me back I would have been on him yet again.

“What have they been teaching in those health classes, of course he can purr. All Omegas can.”

Which is when a prompt ‘Fucking Hell’ leaves Elliot’s mouth. Before Hadley can lecture him on his language it seems to click why Elliot is frustrated. No one thought to say anything to Elliot about his presentation and he can’t smell his scent the way we can. It’s just like how I didn’t realise I was presenting.

Whoops.

\----------

Fucking Hell.


	9. A Change in Demeanor

Chapter 9 - A Change in Demeanor 

When Elliot says those two words my brain freezes like a windows ten document with 20+ pages. How could I have skipped over such a crucial thing? I had one job or rather a few: tell Elliot he’s presenting, get him hydrated and cool while trying not to freak out and make Hadley go full alpha on me. That’s all I had to do.

Elliot must sense my guilt as he settles himself back into my arms after bolting upright.

“You dummies, way to go, don’t inform the Unpr-Omega of what's happening.” He rolls his eyes at us but we don’t miss the way he stumbled over his presentation. Suddenly it feels a lot less pressing that I make it up to him with words instead I have the urge to smother him with affection. So I do, I lift his head ever so gently off my chest and proceed with the nuzzling from before except with an added sense of urgency.

Hadley and Willow come over too and soon the scent of happy pack is overpowered by the sweetness of Omega, Elliot doesn’t seem to notice the way that scent has Hadley antsy or the way Willow is subtly cleaning his forehead every five seconds. He’s currently drawing everyone closer and slowly pulling out their more basic instincts. As an unpresented person I shouldn’t be affected too much but I also can feel this strange draw and need to protect growing in my chest. 

I imagine it’s just my simmering Omega hormones telling me to stick with my own.

\----------

I love cuddling but after an hour of us snuggling and scent marking and just generally having a good ol’ hug fest I don’t think I can stand not moving anymore. I bounce up and skip my way to the kitchen. Blu makes an attempt to get up but is promptly dragged back down and Elliot maneuvers his way onto his lap to ensure there’s no further escapes. All it took was an hour straight of hugging and hydrating Elliot to get him not passed out. And about as normal as a radiator hot, clingy presenting Omega can be.

I tell Blu to stay put and manage to convince Hadley to leave the nest with me so we can make some semblance of snacks. We decide on Nutritious and Delicious Fruit Kebabs™. I thought it would be fun to cut up all the fruit into animal shapes but Hadley took one look at my mashed slice of banana and commanded me to go sit down. I swing myself onto the counter next to the cutting board and Hadley lets out a disapproving huff. 

I’m a cat and I will sit wherever I please, at least that’s what I like to think.

After Hadley’s cut the fruit into non-mushed shapes and skewered them she cleans the board of the juice and cautiously hands me the fruit katanas.

“You put those anywhere near anyone’s eyes, I will take it back and tell on you to your mum.” I wish that I knew she was joking, sadly she’s doing anything but.

I pout but take them carefully over to Blu and Elliot while she cleans the cutting board. Elliot’s miraculously balancing on Blu’s lap, in a position that’s some odd mixture of how a koala might cling to someone and a straddle, Blu doesn’t seem to mind either way though and from the way Elliot's purring I doubt he does either.

I make my way next to them and rest my head on Blu’s shoulder. He leans into me as much as I am him and I enter a comfortable daze of scents, there’s something so pure and sweet about our nest right now. It smells like a little bubble of happiness, there’s a beautiful warm, honeycomb granola scent being cultivated between Elliot’s hazelnuts and Blu’s honey. There’s a hint of something fresh in there from my lillies and Hadley’s rosemary but overall it smells of warmth and them.

\-----------

I don’t even process Blu handing me anything. The only reason I know he handed me anything is because he tells me I've dropped it. He doesn’t sound upset or mad but my brain tells me to desperately rectify it, to please him and make him happy again. I try to grasp whatever I’ve dropped but my whole body feels like fluff.

Blu smiles warmly at me and picks up whatever I’ve dropped which turns out to be some very tasty looking fruit pieces. I try to reach for them but I only achieve at moving my arm weakly from wherever it’s wrapped around Blu to further entangled between him and Willow. Blu must recognise what I’m trying to do and puts an apple slice in my mouth for me, I slot it between my lips and attempt one of those fruity toothed smiles. I succeed and Blu gives me another smile which makes all the effort worth it. Making him happy fills my heart and makes me feel whole. As I keep eating I gain enough strength to reach towards Blu, his eyes light up with a kind of determination, a deep seated craving working its way into his consciousness.

A slight change in his demeanor causes his shoulders to push back and his jawline defines somewhat. I close my eyes as a rush of pheremones means my purring evolves into a constant humming that vibrates against our chests. I open my eyes to look up at him, his teeth are clenched and small beads of sweat catch the sunlight on his collarbone. He catches me staring and we lock eye contact. His eyes are warm, they almost glow with a sunny, peaceful state of mind that wasn’t there before we were so close I could hear his heartbeat. I push my ear closer into his chest, yearning to hear it louder.

\----------

I see Blu and Elliot cuddling out of the corner of my eyes but I’m more focused on how Willow has plucked all the fruit off her skewer and is now poking it into her hand to make dotted patterns. It’s like having a toddler in our pack.

I walk over ready to take it out of her hands but I can only get as far as the outer ring of the nest before a low pitched growl reverberates around the room. One that makes me stop in my tracks and raises my hairs. We all stop, looking around for the angry Alpha that’s made their way into our dorm. There’s no-one there though, just all of us staring open mouthed at Blu who has now wrapped himself protectively around Willow and Elliot while simultaneously baring his teeth.

I take a step back before lowering myself to the ground and sit crossed legged in what Blu’s determined a safe space away from the nest and wait for him to calm down enough to realise that he doesn’t need to protect our pack from their own Pack Alpha. Second presentation in a day and third this month. Not a great time to be Pack Alpha if I say so myself.

Honestly though, who would have thought soft, sweet, presumed-Omega Blu would be such a territorial Alpha?


	10. Out of the Blu

Chapter 10 - Out of the Blu

Elliot continues to curl around me as my legs doze off one by one. I look up to see Hadley approaching with her arms outstretched looking expectantly at Willow. I feel a little nick in my head, the feeling that something is wrong, that something is very much a threat.

A harsh growling echoes as Hadley approaches and for a minute I don’t realise what could be causing Hadley to growl so loudly. It’s a growl so loud that it overpowers Elliot purring which makes her growl louder and lower in pitch, as if she’s mad at that fact. I understand her rage, I already miss the comforting vibrations of Elliot.

“You alright, Blu?” Hadley says words dripping with concern, dragging my attention away from Eli who’s now struggling in my hug, trying to get away. When he finally does Willow scoops him up into her arms instead, the growling picks up again at this. I miss Elliot being close and tucked in the nest with me but Hadley’s the one that caused it so why’s she so concerned with me. 

“Yeah, why?” I ask confuzzled, other than her odd growl everything seems normal but she sounds cautious and a little afraid. I was just sitting here, I’ve barely spoken yet her eyes glance me up and down as if waiting for  _ me _ to attack.

“Ummm...” she stops in sarcastic hesitation, “because your growl’s louder than Willow when she tried to learn trumpet, before I chucked that satanic stick out the window, that is.”

I roll my eyes, in equal parts frustration and amusement. 

“That’s you.” I remark.

She’s not normally so deflective about her growling, no matter how much people lecture about it being rude she insists on showing her true emotions. ‘None of that alpha posturing shit, if I’m mad people need to know to take me seriously’.

“Blu, listen, does that sound like me?” She shuffles closer, taking my hand and looking me directly in the eye, I listen closer to the dying rumble of the growl. It really doesn’t sound like her. “It’s not me, you’re the one growling.”

I pull away, accidently bumping into Willow and Elliot who jump at the sudden contact. “I’m unpresented right now, I’ll be an Omega. I can’t growl because I’m not Alpha.” I’m almost shouting now, alerting Willow and Elliot to my scene and the consequential freaking out.

It feels inevitable that I would be Omega. My dad is Omega, my brothers are Omega. My entire life it has never been questioned. I will be an Omega. I’m quiet, I’m shy, I have a natural instinct to coddle those around me; how could I be anything but Omega?!

“It’s alright.” Hadley says, approaching me once again. “Don’t worry about what’s out of your control.” She pulls me into a hug, knowing full well I’m going to worry about it.

“I don’t understand what’s happening.” I choke out as tears make their way down my face.

She holds my wrist against her neck, letting the stench that’s coming from it be washed away by her herbs and dries my cheeks with her sleeve.

“You’re presenting Alpha, Blu.”

My eyes widened in offended awe and my chin trembled. I wrap my arms around Hadley.

“I’m sorry.” I say. Who knows whether I’m apologising for me growling or being Alpha, I think I mean it for both.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for.” She assures, but I can see her mind ticking about how this is going to work now. She continues, clearly choosing her words carefully, “Just don’t push me away from our pack again. Please?”

“You’ll always be the Pack Alpha. I don’t think we’d survive if I pushed you out.” I tell her hoping she realises that’s only a half joke, i don’t think Willow would last half an hour with Hadley. She smiles down at me, reassured by my claim and hugging me even tighter.

At which point Elliot cries out some unintelligible nonsense that barely break the whisper boundary. Willow and Hadley look at each other as if they can somehow read what Elliot said on their faces but I know what he wants, it seems strange that they don’t know what he wants. Surely they can smell his yearning for attention.

I almost immediately snuggle up to him, pushing my head into his chest. We lay in harmony as his murmurs stop and morph into a resounding rumble. One that is copied by Willow’s stomach.

\----------

I sigh and Willow smiles at me expectantly “Are you hungry?” I ask sarcastically as I get up to go get food. I fling the fridge open theatrically and Willow laughs. I turn to look inside and it’s as empty as Willow’s stomach. Willow’s smile drops and she looks towards the rest of the pack. We both know I can’t leave to get groceries with two of my pack presenting and I’m not letting those two see the light of day for the rest of the week.

“I should go get food.” She says, “Elliot’s going to need his strength, Blu won’t leave him and they need you.” Me and her: same page.

“Are you going to be okay on your own?” I question, truly sceptical on whether she can navigate the single street with no roads it takes to get to the closest store.

She nods rapidly. Beaming her brightest smile

“I can do this!” She says, sounding determined, as she opens the door and walks down the stairs. I tap my foot on the floor, looking at my watch.

The door flings open again. She looks to me.

“I need money.” She announces.

“Yeah, you do.” I respond, holding a twenty out to her. She goes to leave once again, “Stop.” I say and she twizzles on the spot. “Key card.” I remind her and she catches it after I frisbee it to her. I follow her with some bags, wallet and a keychain alarm that I clip onto her belt loop.

“Text me if you need  _ anything _ , okay?” I demand and she nods, bumbling down the stairs before almost tripping on the last step. I massage my temples, the day she learns to adult is the day I fish her trumpet out of the outside bush.

\----------

I bound down the corridors, throwing a door open in my excitement and enthusiasm of my new independance.

“Ow!” I hear and I squeal in response.

“I’m soooo sorry!” I say, pushing a tissue at him as blood runs down his grey jumper from his nose.

He stops and stares at me as the tissue that was up my sleeve brushes against my scent gland, releasing a fresh aroma into the air. One that smells not only of me but of my freshly presented pack. I hope he’s not a knothead about the fact I smell like slick and Alpha.

“You smell,” he pauses, raising a finger into the air as if trying to identify me. “You smell familiar.” He’s quickly distracted as his nose continues to pour.

My phone beeps, I glance at it quickly, It’s from Hadley: ‘You get there yet?’. I reply ‘Uhhh, I kinda hit someone in the face with a door.’ She leaves me on read and I hear a god damn it from inside.

“I really am sorry, I just didn’t see you-” He reaches his hand up, conducting me to stop.

“It’s fine, I hope I bump into you again.” He stops, re-evaluating. “Maybe under less violent circumstances.” He assures.

I nod, calling Hadley as we walk away.

“What the hell did you do and did he threaten to hurt you in return?” She demands.

“Umm, I opened the door and now his nose is a blood waterfall. Also, no, he was really nice about it.”

She sighs, “You’re a disaster, an adorable disaster, but a disaster nonetheless.”

I smile and hang up, continuing my adventure as I continue down the street. I saw a sweet on top of a half wall and was seriously considering it. Then, I remember what happened last time, when we were six and Hadley prised my cheeks open and made me spit it out… I choose to leave the candy and when I look up I see the sign for Tescos Express in bright capitals.

After dropping my money a couple times and chasing it down the street once I make it into the carpark. I walk up to the shopping carts and search my pockets for a pound, I find a broken pen, a bunch of sweet wrappers and something really  _ really _ sticky. No pound though. I notice an old lady: Jackpot!

“Excuse me, ma’am.” She looks up at me, then smiles widely as she notices my childish pigtails.

“What is it, darling?” She asks me.

“Do you have a pound I could use for the trolley, I can get it back to you, my Alpha just gave me notes ?” I ask, in my kindest voice, I know mentioning my Alpha is the sincher.

“Of course you can!” She announces, reaching into her bag. She brings out a pound coin and a butter candy. She must have seen my eyes light up because she chuckles.

“Thank you!” I announce, unwrapping the candy and popping it into my mouth.

I text Hadley, ‘I got candy!’. Hadley replies less than a second later, ‘IT WASN’T OFF THE STREET WAS IT? I SWEAR TO GOD WILLOW I WILL COME GET YOU RIGHT NOW!’ I smile at the words on the screen. ‘No! Although I did see one… I got it from an old lady.’

I run to the trolley and slot my pound into the hole, pulling the cart out and straight over the base of my toes. I bite my bottom lip and bend down to rub my foot.

I tug the trolley around, bumping into everything as the wheels turn in every direction other than forward. Every Funky Direction.

“You alright there?” The security guard questions, looking at me judgmentally. I nod and keep my head down as I wheel my disobedient trolley through the door.

I pick up a bunch of snacks that I see and my phone beeps again, ‘Remember, not just snacks, we need meals too.’ Hadley texts, as if reading my mind.

I go around the aisles, picking up some random things. Lucky Charms! I put them in the cart. Pancakes! I drop them in too (and some other more substantial things so Hadley won’t send me back). I pull up to the checkout, laying all of my purchases on the conveyor belt and I watch the number go up fascinted until it just surpoasses the amount I was given…

Fudge sticks.

The store is pretty much empty as it’s only a small store, just for the college kids and they’re all in class right now.

“Umm, I’m sorry Sir. I don’t have that much money with me.” He stands up and my heart starts beating. I text Hadley under the counter. ‘I’m scared, he’s scary. I might need you.’ I get left on read again but her dot on ‘Find My Pack’ has suddenly appeared at the store.

“Oh.” He says, but not in a sympathetic way. “Did your Alpha send his little Beta off to buy snacks with no fucking money?!” He shouts.

“Actually…” I say shakily. “My Alpha’s a girl.” He slams his hands down on the counter, squishing my pancakes. I flinch and look towards the security guard: he’s deliberately facing the other way. I start to whimper as he grows red in the face and slowly walks around the counter. I took a breath in, tears running down my cheeks. I text Hadley again ‘Ok, I really need you!’ He continues pacing towards and strikes me round the face once, causing me to fall to the ground. I hear an intense shouting but my head’s so blurry I can’t make out what it’s saying. I figure it’s some bull shit about me being some disgusting lesbian who couldn’t submit to a real Alpha like him from what I can make out. 

I open my eyes and blink the tears away so my vision clears. It’s not the man shouting, it’s Hadley. She’s practically spitting at him as she doesn’t even stop to take a breath. She runs towards me and picks me up off the floor in a bridal carry. She snatches the wallet from him and announces very passive-aggressively: “We’ll be going elsewhere for our Lucky Charms and Pancakes”.

  
  



	11. New Rule

Chapter 11 - New Rule

I run back home with Willow in my arms, bursting through the door to see Blu and Elliot jump. I carry Willow to the nest and gently lay her down onto the quilts which seem considerably more rustled and sweaty than when I left in a rush. Although thinking about it the messed up nest might be my fault, as soon as Willow text me she needed help I pretty much ran out with just a quick ‘Alpha duties’ thrown their way. Doesn’t explain sweat though or the other sticky liquids though.

Oh my fucking God. 

I yank Willow off the place where I laid her on the nest and move her to a spot that looks considerably less mussed and turn to Blu and Elliot with a look of pure rage. They’re so lucky she wasn't awake to know what she’d just layed in.

“New rule, under no circumstances do you two ever,” I take a deep breath in, I shouldn’t have to say this. “EVER have sex in the nest again.”

I have a feeling that had Willow been awake she’d be squealing how cute it is that our little innocent Blu was the first to lose his virginity.

It is anything but cute although the way Blu flushes and Elliot refuses to look at anything but one spot on the wall with a stare of ‘I fucked up. I FUCKED UP!’ is quite infatuating. 

There are some positives to the mess they’ve made of the nest though as Elliot’s heat and Blu’s ruts should now fade within the hour meaning our lost groceries are less of a problem. I take on the task of explaining what happened while Blu fetches an ice pack for Willow. Just thinking about how the cashier treated her has me fuming.

\----------

I look up to see Hadley with tears in her eyes. It’s just occurred to me that I’ve never actually seen her cry. I reach up and brush the tears away. I also see Blu pick up the ice pack beside him and pass it to Hadley who pushes it against my cheek. If they’d have done that while I was out of it they would have woken me up.

“I’m so sorry, Will.” She says, her voice cracking a little. “I should never have let you go alone.”

“It wasn’t your fault!” I say, still a little delirious. “It was that mean man!”

“But I shouldn’t have let you go alone!” Hadley claims, almost sobbing.

I sit up and shuffle onto her lap, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. “You saved me.” I whisper in her ear and she takes a breath, getting herself together and holding me tight.

“Had-” I manage to get out. “Can’t-Breathe.” She loosens her grip a little but still doesn’t let me go.

Elliot is standing completely unsupported now and besides from being a little flushed, he’s almost back to normal and Blu, besides from being a little irritable, doesn’t look like he would snap if someone moved Elliot so much as an inch away from in. I watch transfixed at how they shuffle closer and closer together until they’re cuddled up together again. I manage to drag my eyes away and notice Hadley has peeled herself off me and is now on the phone in the kitchen.

“Yeah, I think we’re good to go back now.” She continues a stream of tolerable answers, all the while staring deep into Blu and Elliot’s souls, echoing a ‘how dare you’ without even saying a word. I wonder what they did to get on her bad side?

“Our classes start after lunch.” She announces, still glaring at Blu and Eli. “Everyone okay with that?” She looks to all of us.

“Yes!” I declare, excited for my first dance lesson. Elliot and Blu nod in unison, not trying to test Hadley right now.

Blu glances at his watch, “So we have, like, 2 hours.” He looks up at us, “We should probably go get lunch, maybe we can eat out since I can’t exactly make us lunch with the few lettuce leaves and drops of milk we have left over?”

“Yeah, that sounds like a better option.” Hadley says, clearly not wanting to attempt to go into another superstore today.

“Coco’s lunchroom?” Elliot suggests already picking up his coat and throwing Blu his. We all grab our school bags that have been waiting by the door longingly for a week now.

Elliot holds the door open for Blu and he blushes a little as he walks through. Hadley sighs, pushing her hand into her forehead. I follow Elliot and Blu, prancing down the stairs.

“Come on, Had!” I say, waiting for my keycard to be thrown to me. I fail to catch it, but pick it up with immense agility and trundle down the stairs, desperately trying to catch up with Eli and Blu.

Hadley doesn’t run, but with her giraffe legs she catches up to me almost instantly while doing a brisk walk.

\----------

Walking alongside Blu, he opens every single door and offers his hand to me as we go down the steps.

Once there, we approach the sandwich bar and pick out baguettes.

I look Blu straight in the eye and touch the baguette suggestively, teasing him mercilessly.

“Can I help you with something, Sir?” I hear from behind me, I’ve never had someone look at me with such a pure look of ‘I don’t get paid enough for this’.

“Umm.” I laugh while I blush, I didn’t realise someone else was watching. “I’d like to buy these please.” I say, while Blu and Willow double over in hysterics.

We find a table and I bury my face in my hands until I feel a baguette clout me round the head. I look up to see Blu handing them out and I start planning how we’re going to get everyone to class on time. We decide Hadley’ll take everyone round to their classes and then go to her business studies room last, the lady on the phone said it’d be alright if we were late and we intend to take full advantage of that.

  
  



	12. Self Betrayal

Chapter 12 - Self betrayal 

Hadley glances at her phone as she hastily chews her sandwich. “Shit. It’s 10 to 12.” She gets up and starts collecting her things before continuing, “Okay so, Elliot, you have music. Blu, you have English and Willow has dance. I’ll walk all of you to class and then you WILL stay until I come to walk you back to the dorm afterwards, okay?”

“Yeah!” Willow responds, reaching to hold her hand. She acts as if Hadley telling us to stay put wasn’t entirely aimed at her.

“Fiiine.” Elliot says, and he’s already collecting his things.

“Sounds good.” I say, studying the map to find where my lecture hall is.

We start walking down the path, Hadley and I swinging Willow in between us and Elliot faithfully holding my other hand. Every time someone gives us a stare for taking up all of the pavement Hadley gives them a glare of pure fury. So help them if Willow seems even the slightest bit less happy in their presence. 

“Blu, this is you.” Hadley says, pointing to a large brick building, lacking windows.

I grab Hadley’s wrist before she walks off and pull her close to me, making sure no one else hears what I say, “Had, if I-” I take a deep breath. “If I need you, will you come get me?”

She pulls me into a stiff but heartfelt hug and whispers into my ear “Of course I will, you just say the word.”

I walk into the hall, my chest tightens and I tilt my chin up to make it easier to breathe. A hundred eyes lock onto me as my freshly-presented Alpha scent spills across the room. I feel slightly sick. I look around to see a free seat right at the bottom, the oxygen is stolen from my lungs with every steep step until I get to the botttom. I sling my backpack onto the ground and open it. I get out my notebook to take notes on ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and flinch as it hits the table a little louder than I intended.

A few minutes later the teacher walks in and begins taking registration or rather I tune out the first 20 names and then realise I'll come up at some point.

“Adrian-Gae Taylor.”  
I take in a deep breath, knowing I’m next. 

“Blu Sutherman.”

“Yes, Sir.” It echoes around the room as my heartbeat quickens and beats heavily.

He finishes calling names and the lesson begins. I make notes, until I’m distracted when I hear my name.

“Blu?”

Shit. I didn’t hear the question.

“Um-Could.” I panic and then try to picture Willow in my mind.

“Deep, slow breaths.” She says in my head.

I open my eyes again.

“Could you repeat-” My breath catches again, I struggle to regain it and the longer I stutter and gasp, the more heads turn to stare.

I know I can only manage a couple words before I completely break down.

“Bathroom?” I stammer.

He raises his eyebrows and nods, releasing my rapidly deteriorating state.

I grab at my notebook and backpack and practically run out of the room, my throat tightening.

I take out my phone and call Hadley. She takes way too long to answer. 

“Yeah?” I hear her say.

I open my mouth but as my gut wrenches all that escapes is a distressed sob.

“Blu?” She says, concerned. “I’m coming Blu, are you still at the hall?”

“Ju- Just outside.” I say.

“It’s going to be okay, I’m not far away. Look in front of you, do you see me coming down the corridor?”

\----------

I can hear Blu sobbing through the phone and I quicken my pace to a jog. I call to him, “Blu, I’m here.” I say as I slow down, catching my breath. He runs into me so hastily that our chests thump as he buries his face in my shirt. I wrap my arms around him, “Everything’s okay. I won’t ask you to go back in ever again if you don’t want to.” I struggle to think what could have set him off. I’d only just managed to drop Willow and Elliot off before I got his phone call. “Elliot will be out of his class in a while, do you want to go wait outside his class for him?

He stiffens. “I- I don’t want him to see me like this.” He explains.

“I understand.” I assure him. “You want to tell me what happened?”

He stops, not looking up at me. “No.” He says.

I laugh at the fact he sounds like Willow at the idea of eating anything but Lucky Charms for breakfast. 

I only get a weak smile in response but it’s enough to tell me that I have not completely scared him by sending him to English Lit. Which is a relief but I’m still wary that this may be the beginning of a bigger problem. 

Blu’s always had social anxiety in big crowds but it was manageable when classes were only 20-30 people big but 200 is a big step up. He said he’d be fine, that he’d been working on it with his therapist and they’d both agreed he was ready for the challenge. However, they’d both been thinking about this without the added hormones of him presenting. No one thought Blu’s first class would be after he’d presented. We’d all presumed he’d have time to settle in.

“You ready to go get Willow and Elliot, now?” I ask, tilting his chin to look him in the eyes. His eyes are red and puffy, and his hair slightly damp from the stress.

“Can I get clean first?” I nod and direct him to the bathrooms I saw as I was tearing through the corridors. He begins walking and I follow behind him, glaring at anyone who peers out their classroom door. As we go into the bathroom I start running some water and get some tissue to wipe his eyes. As I mop his cheeks it reminds me of when we were little and he got pushed over by some big kids and I sat him on the counter, dabbing at his face as I’m doing now.

“I’m ready.” He says as he takes a solemn breath, biting his bottom lip to stop himself tearing up again. “I’m sorry, I must’ve really disappointed you.”

“Are you joking?” I say, “I’m so proud of you for going in there.” I assure him, gently taking hold of his shoulders. “But I’m going to book you back in with your therapist, okay?” He nods in response. There’s no harm in him going back, this has turned his life upside down. New pack mate, new school, more crowds: I think even I would need support with that.

I take his hand and help him down off the counter, keeping hold of his hand as we wind through the corridors, heading to go get Willow.

The second she steps out of the door she’s smacked in the face with the scent of copper depression soaking through Blu’s shirt. She immediately reaches out and tugs him into a strong hug, the type that breaks ribs. 

“I guess it didn’t go as well as we hoped it would?” She asks, careful to avoid touching any nerves.

“No, it didn’t.” Blu replies, burying his nose in her shoulder.

“Sorry to spoil the moment but we’re late to get Elliot.” Blu tenses up again at the idea, but I can’t just abandon Elliot.

“It’ll be alright, you know he’d never judge you.” I assure him but he doesn’t seem convinced.

Willow and I each take a hand and she tries to swing him but he’s not in the mood. Elliot’s waiting outside, leaning against a brick wall and gazing at nothing.

Blu tries to hang back, wrapping his arms around himself to try and block the scent from reaching Elliot. He takes other measures like plastering a smile on his face, but he can’t hide it from Elliot.

Elliot runs up to him and throws his arms around him so meaningfully that Blu almost breaks down for a second time, keeping his hands wrapping around himself, too self conscious and uptight to release them.

“Conga.” I say, instructing the pack to form a chain. I lead them under the cherry blossom trees, sitting us down in a circle. Blu still has his arms locked in a self hug, refusing to break. Elliot places a hand on Blu’s knee and he takes a breath, letting go of his tension and interlocking his fingers in with Elliot’s.

“I really want to try and explain something to you guys.” He starts plucking at the grass, trying to distract himself. “I’m stressed that- I’m stressed because it’s really difficult to understand, even for me.”

\----------

I continue, “I was distraught that I presented Alpha, I feel like I betrayed myself because I wasn’t ever brought up Alpha. My mind still feels like the Omega I thought I’d be. Every time I hear someone call me Alpha I look at myself and see an Alpha’s body. A body that doesn’t feel like my own anymore.” I look up. “I can’t help but be eaten up by self consciousness at the idea of anyone seeing a body that doesn’t feel like my own. I can’t stand knowing that all people see when they look at me is an Alpha rather than the Omega they used to see, the Omega I was. The Omega I am.”

In an instant there’s three people piled on top of me, ambushing me with the most emotional and loving group hug there’s ever been.

“To us, you’re Blu and Blu is perfect whatever way he wants to be.” Elliot says.

“I second that.” Hadley tells me.

“I… three? That.” Willow announces.

“Third.” I mumble as I bask in my pack’s love.


	13. Fuck Soggy Lucky Charms… Actually though

Blu hands out four steaming bowls of macaroni cheese, an excessive pile of cheese on Willow’s portion.

“Okay, so...” Hadley announces.“They have secondary gender clubs, it has been one hell of a ride for our pack with most of you presenting within the same month and I think we could probably do with some support, you’re welcome to come with me to Alpha meeting but it’d be really good to meet some people outside of the pack in your secondary gender group.” 

She pauses, looking at Blu. “Where do you want to go?” She asks gently. 

“I’d like to go with Elliot to the Omega one.” He pauses. “But could you please go early and try to explain my situation to whoever’s running it?”

“Whatever you need.” She says, nodding reassuringly at him.

“When is it?!” I say, enthusiastic, a mouth full of cheese.

“About 6 after class.” She answers, signalling at me to not talk with my mouth full with a curt hand gesture that looks like a crocodile snapping its jaw shut.

I swallow and then continue.

“This is going to be so fun! Like our own little communities.”

“I’m sure it will be.” Blu says, collecting the empty bowls and casting them into the dishwasher, although he seems to think the exact opposite judging from his grimace.

I stand up and catch his wrist before he goes to join the others. 

“It’ll be great, you’ll be with Elliot and everything will work out just fine.”

I tell him.

He nods, looking at the floor.

“I mean it.” I say and he smiles.

\----------

I see Blu walk back to the group after talking to Willow and I pull him aside.

“Yeah, Had?” He asks.

“I organised a therapy appointment for you tomorrow while the rest of us are in class, is that okay?” I tell him.

“Yeah.” He answers, “Thank you.”

He turns around, practically collapsing into the nest, it’s been a long day for him after all.

Willow crashes in turn, closely followed by Elliot then me.

I remember cuddling and some murmured sweet things but I pretty much passed out after 5 minutes. It’s dark, warm and safe here so why bother to stay up.

I wake up to hear Blu clattering in the kitchen, he must be stressed to be up so early and already have what smells like a curry bubbling away. He walks into the nest room, presenting a bowl of the only acceptable cereal to Willow.

“Lucky charms for m’lady.” He announces, expressing an extreme level of stress and agitation as he clenches and unclenches the loose fabric of his shirt, the cereal looks slightly soggy as if he’s had them made for a while.

“Did we sleep in?” I ask, hazily. 

He shuffles about a bit so I look at my phone instead. “No, I was just up early.” Five fucking thirty. Yes. Yes, he was up early!.

I fall backwards, pulling my pillow over my head, I can’t deal with this so early.

I look across and see Elliot snoring peacefully. That’s so unfair.

“So you thought you’d wake up me and Willow but leave Elliot to sleep in?” Blu tries to give me an earnest smile that he knows gets him out of most trouble. I shake my head, before turning the exact second Willow decides it’s unfair we’re up and...

Whoomph. That was a pillow.

Right in Elliot’s sleeping face. Elliot bolts upright and barely has time to think before Willow wacks him again on his shoulder. 

“Pillow fight!” She squeals egregiously loud for five thirty. Then she makes the mistake of wacking me.

“Shit’s about to go down.” I say, picking up my pillow. Which no.

I grab a blanket and attempt to whip it up into a batton shape in order to get Willow back. She shrieks and I launch after her.

Feathers bust out of pillows causing a flurry of snow. A downpour of feathers lands on our heads.

“Omg guys…” I say, “How the fuck are we supposed to explain this to the school?”

Willow stands there star struck, a little white feather sitting on the end of her nose, she crosses her eyes comically and I can’t help but snicker as she blows it off.

I look down to see Elliot still sitting in the nest, feathers practically coating him, all laid on his hair and as he shakes his head, trying to get them out, they only nestle deeper into his messy blonde hair.

“Guys…” He looks so disappointed as he begins plucking the feathers out of his hair. Then Willow decides that there shall be no disappointment and whallops him round the face again only to have a cascade of feathers fall down as her pillow basically implodes. A massive smile erupts over her face and all it takes is a snicker to get the whole pack laughing. And once we start we don’t stop for another minute or so. At which point Blu leads everyone into the kitchen to the feast he’s been cooking for presumably the last hour.

\----------

There’s pancakes and bacon and eggs and cereal and apple juice! I want to eat them all! I need that food in my mouth now, screw the soggy lucky charms. But deep down, I know I still want those sodden lucky charms. I will eat them. And I will eat everything else too.

I swing my legs onto one of our stools to face the food, banquet even, that Blu has prepared. He must have been really stressed last night. I take a plate that he set out and pick some food, bacon with maple syrup, waffles, anything sweet. Pilling it up on my plate. I turn around to see Hadley, right in front of me, expressing a look burning of judgement.

“You really got a sweet tooth this morning, huh?” She asks, raising one eyebrow.

“Yeah.” I nod, looking down trying to hide my smile. She laughs, ruffles my hair and walks to get hers.

We form a circle at the table, eating our morning feast.

Hadley flicks open her planner, I watch the little diamond studs shimmer as she does so. “Okay, so.” She begins, pushing her bright red reading glasses onto her face. 

“At 9:15 I will drop Elliot and Willow off at their respective classes.” She flips the page, “Then at 9:30, I will drop Blu off with Claire.” Elliot looks a little confused but he doesn’t push for answers, maybe he’s guessed who Claire is or maybe he just trusts Haldey that much.

“Does that sound good?” She questions, looking towards Blu.

He nods, looking a little on edge, but smiling widely. I spot I turn toward him and wrap him up in my arms rubbing away the scent of his anxiety with a quick nuzzle here and there. He looks at me graciously and I lean forward to press a gentle kiss on his forehead. He worries too much methinks.

Far too much. Does he really think we care whether he’s Alpha or Omega, he wasn’t either like three days ago so why would it matter? Besides we love our Blu to the stars and Mars and Jupiter all the way back, nothing would change that, least of all his gosh darn presentation.

We begin to gather our things, Elliot taking extra care to be sure all of Blu’s buttons are done up on his coat. Hadley swings her messenger bag over her shoulder, sliding her laptop in there as well as some books. She takes a brief surveillance over our heads and then kisses us each on the cheek as we file out of the door. 

“Time for claaaaaass!” I shout running down the corridor to which Hadley tuts and Elliot watches on in awe before dragging Blu to join in our rapid sprint to class. Hadley shrieks at us to ‘fucking slow down, you don’t even know where you’re going!’ but we continue in a stream of laughter and freedom.


	14. Beaten Black and Blu

Chapter 14 - Beaten Black and Blu - 23

We continue walking while Elliot takes my hand and I take Willow’s on the other side. Elliot rubs his thumb over our clasped hands and I look up to see him staring off worriedly. I falter in my step and he snaps back into life to stop me falling face first into the pavement. Both Willow and him yank my arms up as I stabilize again. Willow giggles at my clumsiness but Elliot’s worry returns again. 

Finally, after a few more steps of agonising worry I manage to blurt out what I want to say.

“Are you worried or something?”

The words are basically a mush because right now because all I can think is that I’m about to lose this amazing Omega. That he’s finally worked up the courage to say he doesn’t want to be mated to some dumb Alpha pretending to be an Omega. That he didn’t sign up for this when we had sex. That he hates me and everything I stand for and I. Can’t. Breathe.

Hadley swings around and takes my hands in hers as Willow and Elliot make a mini boundary around us. She looks directly into my eyes and I can see her nose scrunch ever so slightly as I scramble into her arms. I must reek of distress.

“It’s gonna be okay Blu.” She tells me, stroking my hair and pulling into her chest. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

I start gasping, desperately trying to drag air into my lungs, but it just doesn’t work. The gasping gets quicker as I become dizzier. The world and my thoughts start spinning and I’m brought back to that acrid feeling of being pummeled into the ground. Watching a face of someone who was supposed to look out for me, filled with a strong hatred. An unwarranted hatred but hatred that burns inside them nonetheless.

One hit after the other, a shock of pain, causing my cheek to swell and bruise. The rest of my brothers crowd around, taking their own hits, swinging at me incessantly until I can’t feel my body.

“Oh, Blu.” My mother comes up to me, wiping the blood from my lip.

“Why do they do this?” I ask, eyes wide in naive childhood innocence.

“Boys’ll be boys.” She says with a sadness that only someone who has been told that far too many times can muster.

\----------

I see Blu, his eyes look glazed over, as if he’s in space somewhere.

“Is he unconscious?!” I asked Hadley, frantically pulling at Blu’s shirt.

“No, well he might as well be but no he’s not unconscious.” Hadley assures me, practically batting my hands away from him in an effort to hold Blu closer to her.

She takes him delicately in her arms, stroking his hair and whispering to him ‘You’re not there anymore, Blu. You’re safe now.’

A couple minutes pass and Blu lifts his head, pulling Hadley into a tight hug and sobbing. She continues her playlist of ‘You’re safe’ and “Everything’s just fine’.

Soon Blu’s standing fully on his feet again, although Haldey’s arms remain around his shoulders, whether it’s there for physical or emotional support I don’t know.

“You okay?” I ask him, conveying concern.

“Yeah, it’s just embarrassing.” He replies, smiling shyly.

I stop, holding onto his sleeve and signalling Hadley and Willow to go ahead.

“You never have to be ashamed of anything. Every part of you is beautiful to me.” He says, pressing his lips onto mine, he kisses me back and I wrap my arms around his waist, before breaking it and placing my chin on his shoulder. This isn’t what he needs right now.

\----------

Why did he pull away? I pout. He looks so concerned and I feel I need to apologise.

“I’m so-”

“No.” Elliot says, raising his eyebrows and raising a scolding finger, as if trying to tell a cat not to push a glass of water off a table. 

“You don’t need to apologise.”

I look down and nod, wavering a little, still dizzy from the hyperventilating. He reaches to hold onto me.

“Shouldn’t you go back to the dorm?” He asks quietly.

I shake my head, pushing my forehead into his chest until the woozy spell passes.

Elliot beckons Haldey back to get me again and she cups my head, fiddling with my (now very messy) hair.

A couple minutes later I lift my head.

“All good now?” Hadley questions, almost chucking me under her chin.

I nod and we start walking again. My wrist begins to cramp under the pressure of Haldey holding it tightly. I try to wriggle my hand away, but she stops in her tracks and stares me down, causing me to stop my escape attempt and accept my imprisonment.

“Wil, you’re here.”

She says, freeing her from the conga line we’d formed. Willow skips off in the vague direction of where Haldey pointed until Hadley shouts at her that ‘no that’s not the right door, to the left, no, no fuck it.’ She whispers the last part under her breath before turning to us with a smile.

It’s only a short walk to the music lecture halls and pretty soon he’s hugging me goodbye and making his way into the building.

No sooner does Elliot leave that Hadley swiftly turns us around and we head to one of the campus exits. She leads me through some confusing backstreets rambling about the lack of delivery slots. When she finally manages to secure one for tonight she gives me a fist bump and when she pulls her fist away we make the Baymax fist bump sound. 

I begin to start recognising the streets and enough I can walk beside Hadley rather than trailing behind her. I know most people would feel bad about going back to therapy but really I’d rather go back now than have a complete and utter breakdown and struggle to get out again. Hadley knows as well as I do that it’s better to just have a singular drop in session than have me end up in full time therapy. Especially if we want me going back to class.

The building that we arrive at is a comforting and familiar one. It’s a pastel cream one with a matching inside. Hadley waits for me to go inside before she leaves and as she does I feel a little hitch in my chest that my Alpha’s leaving. That she won’t be able to protect me if something goes wrong but I shake the thoughts away when I remember how fast Hadley can run if I text her that something's wrong. Just thinking about her running through the streets as people watch in horror is enough to make me smile.

\----------

I walk away from the therapist’s building and back to campus. I’m lucky that the Business Studies halls are so close to the edge of campus because I’ve already missed a good chunk of class. Not that anyone can blame me, there's never a more trying time in a Pack Alpha’s life than when your pack begins to present as well (of course some Alpha’s will present after their pack but those are rare instances).

My God it’s been taxing but it’s worth it because we’ve strengthened our pack bonds so much over these last few weeks, which has helped Elliot’s acceptance a lot.

I never knew we needed another in our pack but the way we all supported and helped each other through each presentation makes me realise that he was our missing puzzle piece.

\----------

I see the door and my finger hovers over the buzzer. Am I really getting anxious out over a buzzer? In a sudden urge of confidence I jam my finger onto the button.

“Hello? Who are you here to see?” A voice coming out the speaker says. I hope she doesn’t judge me, I know I’m going to sound so confusing when I try to explain this. “Hello?” The voice says again, breaking me out of my daze.”

“Umm, yeah, hi. I’m Blu.” I stutter.

“Hey there Blu, you back again for Claire?”

“Yes, I am.” I mutter, just loud enough for her to hear.

A beep echoes from inside and the doors open. I sit in the little waiting room area, glancing at the children’s books that are jumbled up with magazines of all sorts. Claire comes out pretty quickly so I don’t have to subject myself to Vogue or Little Miss Naughty.

“Hello again, Blu. We missed you.” She says, leaning to open the door for me.

I walk through.

“Am I right when I say a lot has happened?” She asks and within seconds of thinking back I burst into tears.

“Oh, Blu.” She says, handing me a packet of tissues. “Sometimes it takes us a while to wrap our heads around things. How about you try explaining everything to me?” She suggests.

“I… umm. I presented.” I mumble.

“Congratulations!” She says, smiling broadly.

I cry harder, beginning to explain the situation through my sobs.

“I understand Blu. This may not happen very often but I want you to know that it’s perfectly normal and that even though it may seem isolating, there are people in your life that are there to support you..” She leans closer. “I can help you. There is medication you can take to change your secondary gender.”

I look up, eyes full of hope. “Can- can I have them?”

It seems magical that I can just take a few pills and have this growing hatred for my body disappear but the way her face falls I can tell that my hopes are far too high, I know that. I’m not dumb I read up on Secondary gender Dysphoria before coming. I know there’s so many different ways people cope but I want to believe there’s a simple option, that it’s as easy as a few pills day and night and not a gruelling journey full of surgery and pain.

“It’s a long process Blu, it takes a couple years before we can give them to you. It helps that you knew as soon as you presented though,” She reassures ‘People make even stronger cases against letting people who have been Alpha for years with seemingly no problem transition to Omega.” She places a comforting hand on my knee and I could almost bawl because it hurts to know that this situation is only going to be made worse by bigots who couldn’t possibly understand the torment of dysphoria.

“But we can make this journey together, you, me and your amazing pack.”


	15. An Eli-Phant Never Forgets

Chapter 15 - An Eli-phant never forgets - 25

I bound out of my classroom despite being exhausted. We didn't even dance today! We just did theory. Which means I’m exhausted from listening to my teacher and having to sit for a whole hour without moving. I wonder if next time I can convince Hadley to let me bring one of my fidget toys. Maybe if I put them in my pocket she won’t even notice...

It’s worth rushing my exit though because outside is all my pack waiting for me. I sprint as hard as I can and crush everyone into a hug. Just smelling the comforting scent of affection is reinvigorating me, the fact that tonight we get to go to our Presentation Clubs has me even more excited.

I don’t know a lot of Betas, I mean my mum was a Beta but aside from that I haven’t met many, I try to make lots of friends but really I think a lot of them are either scared off by my passion or by Hadley. She doesn’t mean to but let’s be honest she’s one hell of a protective Alpha and has a tendency to be a little bit frightening. I don’t mind much, after all I’ve got everyone I could ever need in between my arms right now. 

Doesn’t mean I’m any less excited to be in a room full of strangers who are all looking for fellow Beta friends.

Everyone else seems to be relatively excited, except for Hadley who’s still fussing over Blu. Despite Elliot’s insistence that she can just drop them off and that Elliot can handle explaining to the leader. She argues and argues until Blu just gives up and says that she come if she wants but he’s not responsible for the Omegas that’ll shout at her for coming in. Strange how much more confident he is now that he’s seen Claire, before he was begging Hadley to come in with him.

In all fairness, the Omega group has every right to shout at her. If I saw a random Alpha waltzing into the Beta meeting I’d be a little bit peeved too, especially after that incident with that Alpha at the store. 

Hopefully, they’ll focus on Hadley rather than Blu being there.

\----------

After arguing back and forth with Hadley for a while and reaching an unsteady agreement we finally arrive back to the dorm. Blu sets to work making us an early dinner. He goes to get the chicken thighs out but willow spies the dinosaur chicken nuggets and practically wrestles them out from underneath. Every. Single. Item. In the freezer. She stares at Blu longingly, clutching the plastic bag of magic like it’s her baby. 

“Pleeease, it’ll be much quicker than cooking chicken thighs and you said we needed to have a quick dinner so we can get to our clubs on time. This’ll be so quick, in fact we could put them in our pockets if we needed to.” Her puppy eyes are adorable and I watch Blu’s confidence falter, she is right after all, especially if we also had the unicorn potato shapes with them. Blu looks behind Willow to Hadley and she nods ever so slightly. He huffs but begins to preheat the oven to the correct temperature to bring the baby dinos and unicorns to life.

We manage to get Willow to sit down about five minutes into them cooking when she realises that nothing is going to change and that unfortunately, they will take another ten minutes to cook. She sits down where everyone is already sitting and tells us about how boring class was and that she can’t wait for when she’ll have part of a routine to show us. Once Hadley can get a word in edgeways she begins to tell us about the supply and demand graphs they’re being retaught. Fortunately before I have to natter on about music theory the timer goes off alerting us to the readiness of our mea. 

Blu quickly dishes up, something that is only sped up by Willow’s cutlery and table dance that reminds me of how a toddler might pound on the table for food.

“Manners.” Hadley scolds as Willow slunks down in her seat, arms crossed.

While we eat Blu hands around some sauce and some carrot sticks. Willow tries to refuse them but one stern look from Hadley and she’s managed to convince herself that the dinosaurs are herbivores and need carrots to live off of in her stomach.

It’s really sweet to see how well our pack works, the way Blu can flawlessly produce something, Willow can make it magical and Hadley can keep that delicate balance of fun and safe. Makes me wonder why they chose me but as my scent takes on a sad note Hadley flashes me that look of ‘Are you okay? If you’re not I’ll fight whoever made you sad.’ and just seeing that in her eyes picks me up.

Her concern quickly flattens as she spies Willow sneakily sneaking a few dinos and unicorns into her pockets, Hadley looks at me and she flashes a ‘can you believe this?’ expression. The answer is yes, I can definitely believe that Willow is hiding dino nuggets in her pockets for later like she’s a squirrel in winter and will starve if she doesn’t.

She won’t starve, obviously but I have a suspicion Hadley has deliberately not told her that there’ll probably be biscuits and drinks at the clubs tonight. Perhaps she’s hoping that Willow won’t get hyper on sugar and then crash halfway through and have to be picked up, Hadely might be expecting a miracle though. I’ve seen Willow sniff out biscuits from inside the packet before, she’s scarily good at it.

\----------

By the time Willow finishes stuffing dino and unicorns into her pockets everyone else has finished and is now clearing away. We’re all deliberately not looking at her because every time she looks at us and realises we haven’t caught her yet she lets out a little snort. It’s quite honestly making my heart melt and I don’t know how I’ll cope knowing I have to leave her for so long with strangers. I’m sure they'll look out for her especially as that’s the entire purpose but still, I can deal with it during the day but at night I’m so used to having everyone to hand so I know they’re safe immediately.

It’s a little bit scary when we have to actually drop her off but she quickly hops her way over to the biscuit table to my horror. Soon enough she’s happily chatting with a boy and a girl who’re cuddling in the corner. Exchanging unicorn and dinosaur nuggets like she’s an ameatuer drug dealer.

I wave her goodbye, it feels as if I’m a mother leaving her preschooler at school for the first time.

“Bye, Wil.” I wave and she barely notices me as she’s too caught up in chatting with her new friends.

“Okay, Eli and Blu. Omega club is... “ I pause, studying the map. “Just down this corridor.” I conclude.

We start walking and when we arrive Blu is practically hiding behind me, so much for him not needing me i think with a fond smile. I approach a smaller lady who has a bright name badge on declaring that she’s the club leader.

“I know this is going to be kind of complicated to understand but Blu here, is working on transitioning into Omega-”

The woman interrupts me, not rudely though, as a broad smile plasters across her face, “Yes, we have another student like that, Blu’ll be completely safe here and if there’s any problems you can come straight to me..” She turns behind her, “Hey, Blake, come here please.” She continues to introduce Blu to this currently Beta, apparently soon to be Omega. Blu steps forward in confidence, looking back at me with a smile.

\----------

The warm, Omega smell is so familiar to me, it smells like my mum and the few of my brothers who didn’t beat me senseless. Looking to my side I see Elliot, gazing at me intently. I give him a nod, assuring him that I’m okay.

“So,” Elliot turns to the person that the lady introduced me to, “You must be Blake, and you’re in a similar situation to Blu?” He questions.

I look to Blake, waiting for their answer. “Well yes, except I’m going from Beta to Omega. Must be harder from Alpha, since they're so much more different.” They say.

I’m reminded of my pain and look towards the ground.

“We’ll get through it just fine!” Elliot dips his head to look me in the eyes. “Because we’re going to do it together, right Blu?” He says.

I nod, relocating closer to Elliot.

“Of course! Well, you have all of us too now.” Blake mentions, “If you need anything that is.” They awkwardly shift away, going back to their little group of friends.

Elliot takes my hand, gripping it so it was practically airtight.

“Okay team, let’s all join the circle and play an ice breaker.” The club arranges themselves in a circle, holding hands to make it perfect before sitting down. The lady continues “So, we’re each going to say our name and then something about yourself.” She gets a smooth rock out of her backpack and starts passing it round the circle.

“I’m Aidrien and I take English Lit and Language.” A person I vaguely remember from class.

“My name is Bella and I’ve come all the way from Australia to attend this school.” Says another.

There’s another couple dozen of names that if I'm honest I don't listen to. I’m much more preoccupied by the way Elliot grips my hand like a lifeline. It’s not too long before everyone’s told us their names and we’re moving on to a big game of truth or dare. Someone spins a bottle and it lands on Bella, she chooses truth and she has to tell us her favorite part of Australia.

The way she describes the coral reef is hypnotic, there’s so much love in her words. She then spins the bottle again and it lands on a boy with a curious baby blue plaster.

Elliot’s practically squinting at the boy, as if he’s trying to work something out.

Bella asks him truth or dare and he calmly responds with ‘Truth’.

“Tell us something that none of us know about you.”

“I’m Rowan and you may have noticed that I’m unpacked and also unpresented, not trying to invade your safe space I just felt this was where I felt most comfortable and like I get that you’re not required to come to theses clubs but I don’t really have a pack to support me if and when I present. Sorry, I’m rambling.” I expected there to be a little less surprise about Rowan’s unpresented status but I guess that’s a little different to choosing to present as Omegas like Blake and Blu. “I had a pack member a while ago and then I moved away and never found him again. It was heartbreaking and I’ve never managed to get over him enough to find a new pack member. Before any of you suggest Facebook or anything like that I will tell you now there’s no way his parents would let him have any sort of social media, they’re a bit scary and were definitely very eager to break the Pack Bond when I left. It’s alright now although I do wish I could see him again. Wow! Sorry, that just kind of came out.”

I turn to look at Elliot because holy shit, the poor guy, his eyes widened in dismay and shock.

\----------

“Rowan?” I stumble over my words, barely finding the place to breathe. All this time and I just ran into him here? How is this possible? This must be some cruel trick.

“Is-Is that actually y-you?” Rowan stutters, the words echoing around the room as the whole group falls completely silent.

It really does feel like I’m dreaming, that and my breath is faltering like there’s a rock jammed into my throat. Blu grasps my hand and stands up, trying to take me out of the room. I fight it, trying to go to Rowan but his Alpha pheromones make him stronger than he looks. He pulls me out of the room, beckoning for Rowan to follow. The teacher gives Blu a thumbs up. “Okay, so...” She says but her words fade away and I reluctantly leave the room.

I wait outside, impatience building with every step until Rowan’s in my arms again. I remember when the world fell apart and it feels like it was never truly restored until right now, when I’m finally holding him in my arms again. I hear Blu hastily texting on his phone but I’m slightly more concerned about Rowan’s voice.

“I’ve- real- ly. -rea-ly missed- you.” Rowan manages between his colossal sobs. His voice ignites a long forgotten flame and all of the hurt rushes back to me and a surge of tears spills down my cheeks and onto his jumper. Remembering the jumper, I push my nose heavily into his shirt, savoring the perfect timber and rain. First I thought I’d never see him again, then I’d never hear him again, then even his smell was taken from me. Now he’s stood right here, sobbing into my arms.

I’m still in disbelief, holding onto him so tightly because I feel like if I let him go then I’ll wake up and he’ll be gone again.. We’re both bawling into the other’s shoulders. “Never go away again.” I demand, my voice broken and shaky. I pull his head to one side, desperately needing to see his face. His green eyes so shiny with tears that it causes mine to start streaming again.

“It really is you.” I say, pulling him back into the hug, his strong arms locking round me. It reaches down into my gut where it satisfies the empty feeling that never healed after he left, like he’s returning a piece of me he took it.

“I’m so, so sorry.” He says.

There’s a ping from someone’s phone.

“What the hell is it now? Can’t I leave you alone for two-” Hadley’s voice echoes down the corridor before coming to an abrupt stop when she sees me. “Eli?” She says, walking cautiously to stand near Blu.

“Who’s this again?” She whispers to Blu, both of them staring at us in awe. He shrugs, a little teary eyed from the leaking pheromones coming from me and Rowan, both having scent marked each other several times. 

“Another one?” She says, in mild mistrust, but as she looks at me and him, a complete and utter mess, she looks at Blu and says “Look, I have to go get Willow.” Then she leans in closer. “Invite him over for dinner.” She suggests.


	16. Another one?

Chapter 16 - Another one?

As I tenderly lift my head I spy two people watching with avid curiosity and wariness. I’m about to tell them to piss off because this is our moment, our reunion. But then the Alpha puts a hand on Elliot’s shoulder and rather than jumping as I expected him to, he leans into her touch, even more so when they whisper something into his ear.

I take a sniff while she’s still leaned in close and realise that her scent isn’t unfamiliar but instead she smells like Elliot and pack and ooooh. Shit!

I’m really lucky this Alpha hasn’t whalloped me into next Sunday because here I am scent marking her pack, her Omega, her Elliot. That fact strikes me as disappointing, even though I’ve just claimed Elliot no one could put up much of a fight if she broke our pack bond. After all he is hers. I can already feel the tears welling up again because I just know this Alpha’s going to break the precarious Pack Bond that’s being formed and wouldn’t she have every right?

How could I do that, how could I just barge into her pack and claim her Pack Omega right in front of her? 

Yet when I look over to where she’s standing it’s not bared teeth that I see but a gentle smile of acceptance. An expression that’s matched on the Alpha (that was with Elliot in the club) next to her. 

I open my mouth to speak, to apologise but as I do the unusually short Alpha interrupts.

“Wouldyouliketocometodinner?” It comes out like one long breath and not a single syllable makes sense.

“What?” The confusion is enough to keep me still as I see the two Alphas approach.

The girl laughs and replies.

“Blu was trying to ask you to dinner. You might as well meet the rest of the pack if you plan on staying around.” 

My shock must be evident because Elliot who was previously watching aghast as they spoke begins to laugh.

“They’re quite an odd pack but you’ll get used to them, promise.” As he says that a lilly smelling Beta practically sprints through the corridor with a mouth full of biscuits and pockets filled with… Why is she carrying dinosaur nuggets?

“Hadwey, I meet so manee pweepole, dey were sow nice.” She takes a huge gulp and then continues her shouting. “I-met-this-awesome-boy-named-Tyler-and-his-pack-member-Grace-did-you-know-that-they-were-in-a-pack-of-eleven-people-one-two-three-you-get-it-that’s-so-many-and-we-just-have-4-so-like-that’s-almost-double it! It was soooo much fun!”

She looks between the Pack alpha and me and Elliot then an even bigger smile breaks out across her face. 

“It’s the guy whose nose I broke, Hadley that’s him!” The Pack Alpha or Hadley I suppose tuts and then tells her she really shouldn’t be that excited about breaking someone’s nose, I’m about to say it’s not broken but I leave it too long and the sugar-high Beta.

“So you must be Elliot's old pack mate.” The young Beta says without missing a beat. I look over at Elliot about to ask what to say but yet again he interrupts me.

“How do you know that?” 

“Well I may have overheard you and Blu but also you talk in your sleep.”

Blu groans but the Beta just pulls him into her arms and with a bit of shuffling to the side and an ill-timed fall on my part I end up in the hug too. A bright burst of her scent washes over me as she nestles our neck together, in turn I scent mark her as well. Just from the way she holds Elliot and how strongly intertwined their scents are I can tell that they’re a bit of a package deal. In fact as the others join us and more arms and wrists meet and mark me as pack I realise that marking Elliot is not the mistake I thought it was but instead I’ve just gotten my precious Elliot back and a whole new pack just in time for when I was predicted to present.

\---------

So not only not did I get two new friends who I get to see every week but I get an entirely new pack member who’s really adding to our outdoor scent theme. Not that’s why he’s our pack, he’s our pack a little bit by accident. I didn’t actually mean to scent mark him but I was just so excited and he smelled so nice and Elliot looked so happy.

Either way as I watch Blu happily make snacks that are far more extravagant than needed (Hadley has to stop him as he begins to make bell pepper dragons) and Ellliot snuggles into the nest happily purring with Rowan I can’t help but feel like our pack keeps making the best mistakes.

Seriously we are like winning pack development right now. We went from three to five in like a month! I love it though and from the happy scents of my pack they do too. As Blu hands around the snacks Elliot and Rowan tell the story of how they met and how Rowan moved away. I find myself enthralled by how well they remember everything, every time one of them stops the other picks up without a single second between. Elliot tells us about how it felt to know his only only pack member was leaving and Rowan tells us about how it wasn’t until they finally arrived in their new house that he realised quite what was happening.

It hurt to hear about such a strong pack bond being broken but it makes the fact that we get to see their reunion that much sweeter. Their happy scents fill the room and even though my nose still twitches at the scent of rain and timber floating around it still sets off the little neurons in my brain that buzz whenever a pack member’s happy.

Hadley could probably explain why that happens even with new pack members, something about protection for the weaker or survival of the sexiest. She’s clever like that, clever enough to realise that actually Blu isn’t having a great time anymore. That five minutes after Elliot finished the story and fell asleep and Rowan started talking about just how thankful he was that he could be here with Elliot Blu’s been quietly growling.

\----------

Maybe it’s the fact that we barely know Rowan and yet I still find myself rushing to provide for him. Maybe it’s because he’s got Elliot in his arms when only the other night it was my arms that Elliot was encased in. Maybe Claire would even point out that he’s still got the potential to be anything he wants to be, a luxury I no longer possess.

Yet even though part of me wants to yank Elliot away from Rowan the other part just wants to join them. To let Rowan look after me as well, I’m tired and my brain's going haywire with all the extra pheromones and my throat hurts.

I lean onto Hadley and she gives my hair a stroke and the catching in my throat stops, it’s nice. I like letting go and knowing Hadley will always look out for us.

She’s not some all powerful being, I know that. We all do but she’s so capable, like a superhero. But even superhero’s have moments, else it wouldn’t be a good story would it?

Hadley growls in mild annoyance, “I suppose he’s staying the night then?”

I look up at her, “Yeahhh, well there’s kind of a body on him.” I mention. “I don't think he's going anywhere any time soon.” Hadley smiles at my answer and ruffles my hair and she walks past to find a spot in the nest as far away from Rowan as possible, leaving me and Willow to maneuver into comfortable positions near her.

I guess dinner’s off the table at this point, good thing we already ate. Hopefully Rowan did as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mamma Mia here we go again.  
> P.s Thanks for 300 hits :D


	17. CHU WIKE WUCKY CHARMS CHU!

Chapter 17 - CHU WIKE WUCKY CHARMS CHU!

I wake up in a room that is definitely not the small room I’ve been renting near the school. It’s much, much nicer. With soft cream walls and wooden flooring and windows that are streaming in beautiful rays of sunlight, it feels very much like a home away from home. What’s even better is the gentle scents of comfort that come from a sleeping pack, the sweetness and purity that I’ve never been able to replicate since I left home.

As my sleep-addled brain catches up with the scents I realise that somehow I’ve ended up in this pack and with some alarm I realise I’ve also ended up in this Pack Pile. I distinctly remember falling asleep with Elliot on me but somehow he’s made his way into Blu’s arms (at least I’m pretty sure his name is Blu, could be Tangerine for how great my name recollection is).

I expect a rush of jealousy to go through me and it does but not in the way I was expecting. I don’t feel anger rise up because I want Elliot in my arms. It’s something else that has my brows furrowing.

I feel angry because I’m not encased in Blu’s arms as well. I want to be with him and Elliot. It’s very tempting to blame it on the extra pheromones I’m surrounded by or the fact the Blu is my pack now but it feels different than that.

It’s never felt like this before, I’ve never felt a pull to someone the way I felt towards Elliot. If I had I wouldn't have been packless for so long. I’ve never felt it though, never felt that connection, the trust that I felt with Elliot.

I never thought I’d end up in a pack again. Never thought I’d wake up in a nest that wasn’t poorly constructed by me and only just big enough to squeeze me in. This one’s not just lovely because of the careful arrangement and structure but because of how well loved it is. From the way that the blankets are worn and soft to the fact that everything just smells of love and care, it’s a nest of a secure pack.

If you’d have told me a few days ago that I'd be lying here with a pack that is so ready to take me into their arms. If you’d have told me I’d be with Elliot. I’d have punched you because I couldn’t even begin to hope for those things without my chest aching. 

\---------

I wake up and squeeze Elliot just that little bit harder. I woke up last night (at some time that would have had Hadley shouting at me about sleep cycles) to find him wound up in my arms. Snoring gently, he must have managed to roll both him and Rowan closer to me. Rowan isn't far away but he’s far enough that it reminds me of those first nights with Elliot. They feel so distant but I can’t imagine what it was like to be sleeping in our nest, knowing that he was only a place filler. Make me wish I'd made the effort sooner. 

I resolve to try and make Rowan welcome, afterall if he makes Elliot as happy as he did last night he’ll definitely be sticking around. Willfully or not.

As I lift my head from Elliot’s shoulder I spy Rowan watching us. His brown curls are soft and glistening a glorious gold in the sunlight. His eyes meet mine and for a second there’s a flicker of something in them: longing.

I lift my arm from where it’s resting over Elliot’s hip and silently ask him to come closer. He smiles and shyly tucks himself next to Eli. The way their scents combine, it’s that brightness of rain and the sweetness of honey that gets me. I take a deep breath and tuck away this memory for later, for a rainy day when I inevitably end up fighting Rowan over Elliot. I’ll be able to remember this hesitant moment of acceptance.

\---------

Everyone’s just lazily relaxing in the sunlight either asleep or cuddling or both. We even seem to have managed to drag Rowan closer despite me deliberately lying further away from him in the nest. I suppose it can’t be helped, he’s not the worst person we could have join our pack but I wish we could have discussed it more. Although Elliot’s gentle smile as both Blu and Rowan wrap him up in their arms feels like all the discussion in the world couldn’t have made me more certain.

Willow sits up beside me before looking at her pastel green watch. She taps me lightly before sleepily saying that it’s probably time to get up and with that I shuffle her out of the nest and to the bathroom. She’s the only one I can easily get out of a web of arms and so she gets the bathroom first.

Next I lean down to Blu, careful to keep my hair out of Rowan and Eli’s faces and whisper that it’s time to get up. He grumbles but unsuctions his tentacles from their sticky grip on the others, making his way to the kitchen to get some bowls and cereal out. He calls through to Rowan.

“Rowaaaaaaan! What cereal do you want?”

Rowan covers his ears but mutters out quietly.

“Lucky Charms.”

I’d say it takes Willow about a millisecond before she’s slammed open the bathroom door, toothpaste and brush still in her mouth and screeches.

“CHU WIKE WUCKY CHARMS CHU! HADWEY HE WIKES WUCKY CHARMS! NEW FAVOUWITE PERWSON!”

Rowan drags a pillow over his ears and Elliot looks scared shitless at being awoken by such a loud noise. I desperately try to shush Willow before we get a complaint from the people in the dorm next to ours. It’s a miracle they haven’t complained yet, I’m beginning to think they’re either dead or deaf.

Another miracle is that instead of my usual routine of having to wake everyone up and convince them to get ready they seem to be mangainging by themselves. Maybe so they seem better behaved for Rowan but he’s mostly just stroking Elliot’s hair and trying to help Blu with the cereal. He’s not really paying attention to anything at all though which is why after the third time of him spilling something on the table Blu just tells him to sit down; he settles into the seat next to Elliot.

At which point I realise that we don’t actually have enough chairs for everyone to sit down. I drag the beanbag over and before I have time to offer to sit on the less than ideally heighted chair I watch a fully dressed Willow leap into it. She looks up at me with a massive grin on her face and I chuckle. Of course she wants to sit on the beanbag, she never sits properly on the chairs anyway.

Rowan stands and tries to offer his chair to her but Willow insists and it’s not until she starts to pull out the pout that he finally lets it go and asks around for some toothpaste and a toothbrush. He doesn’t ask for clothes though despite having slept in his. It’s probably out of politeness but if he thinks I'm letting him leave like that he’s sorely mistaken. I whisper to Elliot.

“Do you think you have anything big enough for Rowan, he probably won’t have time to go to his dorm before class even if it’s in the same building.”

Elliot thinks for a second before taking out a larger grey sweatshirt and some loose joggers.

Rowan takes them with a smile but just as he is about to head into the bathroom he blushes and turns to Elliot.

He tries to whisper but it doesn’t really work.

“I might need some underwear?”

I chuckle before trying to cover it with a cough. It doesn’t work and Elliot lets out a snort as everyone starts laughing. Willow doesn’t stop and by the time Rowan is out and dressed she has tears in her eyes and is making a sound like a dying giraffe. She’s still making those awful sounds when Blu and Elliot make their way behind the door to also get dressed. She does finally quiet when Rowan turns to me though. 

“So, it must be difficult having two Alphas in the pack?” He says it cautiously and I’m reminded that he has no idea of what’s going on with Blu. In fact he was so wrapped up with Elliot that he probably didn’t even notice that Blu was there at the Omega meeting. I’m not even sure whether or not it’s my place to say but he’s asking me.

I choose a neutral answer.

“It doesn’t really complicate anything, we have our own ways of working it out.”

He nods as if satisfied by my somewhat flimsy answer. Had Blu not been so determined to repress his Alpha instincts and had Claire not been teaching him Omega mannerisms while desperately trying to get him pushed up the waiting lists for Omega pheromones. If he wasn’t so determined to never growl again we probably would have fought more. We would have worked it out though, just like how if Rowan presents Alpha, we’ll work it out.

Even though he seems satisfied he still pushes.

“It’s strange though, your nest doesn’t look like there’s ever been a fight in it and you don’t seem like the types to fight in public.”

This is where it all falls apart. There’s really no explanation I can think of to explain the nest and I certainly don’t think I could convince Rowan that we’re violent enough that we couldn’t contain our fights for dominance inside.

I sigh, it’s definitely not my place to say but knowing Blu it’ll be months before Rowan finds out that we don’t actually have two Alphas.

“By the way,” I begin to mention, trying my best to keep my tone casual and calm because it’s a bit of a bomb shell for a new pack member. “Blu’s transitioning into an Omega.”

Rowan doesn’t look surprised, at all. His face is deceptively calm although from his scent I can tell he’s thinking hard.

“I thought that Alpha felt off for him. He never seems comfortable standing up to people, much less asserting his claim. I guess that also explains why none of you even address him as Alpha as well.”

“We don’t normally address people by their secondary gender anyway, we mostly use names.” I say gently, it’s not a particularly unusual practice but there are some people who would rather cut off their own fingers than call their Alpha by their name. I just think it’s slightly strange though, after all I knew my pack as Willow and Blu long before I knew them as Beta and Omega.

He sits quietly for a while but me and Willow fill his silence with her asking for an ice cream cone for the tenth time today.

“Willow! You’ve had three bowls of lucky charms.” I say and Willow slunks off, undoubtedly to try her hand at Elliot and Blu instead. I shoot Rowan a little stare, warning him not to fall for her tricks for a second time. Luckily he’s still caught up in thought and doesn’t even notice her eyeing him up for weakness.

Not that any of them would be able to get past me seeing as I’ve sneakily moved my chair in front of the fridge.

\----------

Blu and I change quickly and soon we’re brushing our teeth side by side in the mirror.

“Sow, Rowan huw?”

I look over at him.

“Whut abouwt him?”

He continues to brush his teeth as he says teasingly.

“You wiiiike him.”

It feels like a joke and a trick all at the same time. He’s smiling at me in the mirror but I feel like there’s some weight to his words. There’s just as much intense curiosity as there is light hearted fun.

I choose to play dumb, he can’t prove anything.

“Now I don’t! I wike him just as much as I wike Hadwey.”

He’s not putting up with it. He takes the toothbrush out of his mouth and turns to actually face me. 

“You know I can smell how happy you are when you’re with him right? In fact if I didn’t know any better I’d say it smells a bit affection.”

Any other mate would probably be devastated but Blu just seems curious. He’s literally my fucking mate and he’s realised that I like another person. Yet he’s standing there cool as a cucumber.

I’m such a mess that as Blu laughs I literally sob. I full on let out a cry and as soon as I do, Blu stops laughing. He looks utterly panicked and I try to open my arms to show him I just want to be held because my chest needs pressure on it like it needs air.

He wraps me up in his arms and I can't even find the words to vocalise that even though I like Rowan. 

I love him.

I love Blu, I love him as an Alpha. I love him as an Omega. I love him in every way he’ll let me have him, yet I can never quite find the way to say it. Every time I look at him and find him staring back, he claims a little more of my heart. Every time he hands me my coat and brushes a little bit of his scent on it, he steals a little bit of my breath. Everytime he holds me like this, he takes away every anxious tick.

There are no words for the way he makes me feel. The only problem is I know I feel the exact same way about Rowan. Yesterday that wasn’t a problem. Yesterday, I was so high on seeing Rowan again, so content to lie with him that I didn’t even think about the fact that the way my chest leapt was the same way that it does when I’m with Blu.

“I’m so sorry.” I say trembling with every syllable.

“Why are you sorry? He’s great and I know that you didn’t choose to have some dysphoric Omega as a partner.” He says as he moves away. His face is almost as sullen as mine.

“Woah, woah, woah.” I say, my voice breaking. But this isn’t about me anymore. I steady my breath and speak again “I love you, dysphoria and all. I love you as Alpha and I love you as Omega. Most of all, I love you as Blu. As you.”

He smiles as he walks back into the hug, pushing his nose into my neck “You do still love me too.” He looks up into my eyes and I can see the confusion. “I can smell it.”

“Of course I do! I might not say it, in fact I’m glad you know because I’m not ready to say it. When the time comes though I will tell you just how much you mean to me.” I tell him.

He gives me the most knowing of smiles.

“I love you too.” Blu says, smiling up at me.

Nevermind I hate this goof. I hate that he knows me so well that he knows what I meant to say was I love you but couldn’t get it out. 

“If you love me though, what does Rowan mean to you?” 

How do you even answer like that? He means knowing that my childhood wasn’t just one prolonged inevitability. He means knowing that even when I’m new to this pack that there’s someone in the same boat. He means everything that Blu doesn’t. He’s my second half of the world. They feel like the two missing pieces to the ongoing puzzle of my life.

“He means never having to go without someone. Not that you’re not enough... He’s just different. You’re lovely and soft and kind and he’s the same but he’s also strong in other ways to you. God, I don’t know, I just…” I pause and consider the next words very carefully. “I want you both.”

It’s not surprising the way Blu lets out a sigh as if disappointed. It’s not surprising that he lets go of me but that smile. That fucking smirk that’s surprising.

“I’m telling Rowan.”

“No. No! NO! Don’t you fucking dare! Haaadley!!!”

“You snitch!” Blu shouts and I can’t even get the words out quick enough before he’s out of the bathroom.

“You hypocrite!” I shout after him as his socked feet sprint over the wood. He slips and slides and luckily Hadley’s there, to catch him as she always is.


	18. Anouther Piece of Our Puzzle

Chapter 18 - Another piece of our puzzle

I watch in disbelief as Blu and Elliot dash out of the bathroom. I barely have a second before Blu crashes into my arms somewhat inelegantly. He’s lucky he doesn’t knock Willow’s bowl, she sends him a death stare to let him know that if that did happen she would have a kitchen knife in him before he could say sorry.

He doesn’t even pass me and Willow a glance though. He’s looking at Rowan with a look of pure mischief but before he can get a word out Elliot virtually clamps a hand over Blu’s mouth. He tries nevertheless, a few muffled sounds making it through. Not enough that any of it makes sense but Elliot’s face blushes a crimson.

Elliot suddenly yanks his hand away and with that he forcefully drags Blu out of the room and out of view from us.

None of us can hear what’s being violently whispered but we can smell the upset from Elliot and Blu’s mischiviety fades replacing itself with anxiousness.

Finally both of them come back in, neither look pleased by whatever they’ve just discussed but whatever it was Blu was going to say to Rowan has been quickly shut down.

Willow chooses this moment to announce she is out of Lucky charms and would quite like some more ‘pleeeeaaaasse’.

Rowan goes to refill her bowl at the same time I do. He cautiously hands it to me, it’s nice to know that he knows that that’s my responsibility.

After I’ve filled her bowl and handed it back down to her. I make my way to the bathroom to go get changed out of my plaid pajamas.

“No one touches the knives except Blu and no Willow you can’t have a third bowl.” I turn to Rowan. “Don’t let her have a third bowl.”

She must have used her baby eyes though because I come back to a shifty Rowan and a suspiciously happy looking Willow. I sigh and give Rowan a look.

“She said that normally you let her and that she was really hungry.” He says defensively as he gathers the bowls from the table. He and Willow make their way to the sink and begin to wash; Rowan rather hastily. Willow takes it as a challenge and soon they’re competing to see who can clean the most of the five bowls. He wins but Willow pouts at him and somehow convinces him that she won by doing most of the spoons.

I give him a gentle smile of pity. Another innocent soul that Willow has taken with a simple bat of her eyes. Finally with all of us fed and dressed somewhat appropriately for class. Although, I’m eyeing up Willow's tank top and thinking that’s definitely not what she needs if they decide to do practical today. I’m pretty sure even Blu remembers the day Willow did a dance routine in a flimsy top only to have it fall off mid way through. We laughed about it then but that was when she was 5 though, it would be a little less funny if it happened today.

Let’s just hope she has theory because there’s not nearly enough time after the late start to have her change. Instead I just chuck her one of my hoodies as everyone puts their shoes on; red suits her in a strange way.

\----------

I put on Hadley’s hoodie, delighting in the fact that it swamps my arms completely, giving me sweater paws that I wag in her face as we walk to class. That is until she holds my hand the rest of the way. I like holding Hadley’s hand on the way to class, I mean I like holding everyone’s hand but Hadley’s are so big and they’re always nice and cold which helps if your hands are like tiny radiators. Mine certainly are.

It’s like we balance each other out. ‘Cause I’m so crazy and hyper and she’s so chill and responsible. She catches me staring at her and swings her arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer and kissing my forehead. 

She does it so gently, so sweetly. God darn Hadley going from big leader Alpha to softey in less than a second. Makes my heart melt, like a popsicle on a summer’s day. Speaking of popsicles I wonder if I can convince Hadley that 15 degrees is hot enough for ice cream.

I’m distractedly walking and plotting my devious tricks in order to get ice cream when she stops, looking at me, taking my head in her hand. Holding my chin firmly but gently at the same time. Now standing parallel to me; my breath catches. She’s staring so intently into my eyes as her eyebrows burrow a little, like she’s internally debating something.

She takes a breath and mine hitches. “I really care about you, you know.”

Jeez, I guess all it took was one hour away from her last night for her to realise she actually likes me.

She looks like she wants to kiss me. She really does. Before she can lean in though her phone alarm beeps, she drops my face, which was still in her hand. 

“We’re gonna be late.” She says, her arm recapturing it’s position around my shoulders. I lean my head on her shoulder as we walk, trying to keep in time so my chin doesn’t stab her shoulder.

"Here you are." Hadley says and I really don't want to leave her just yet.

"Show me the way?" I ask, tugging on her sleeve and exhibiting my best puppy eyes.

"Pleeease?" I ask and I watch as she pretends to fall for it. We both know she’s just doing me a favour though and I won’t for a second believe she’s actually fallen for it. Unlike Rowan who is quickly becoming my favourite victim. I flash a smile in the direction of where all three boys are walking and catch his eye. He smiles gently back before being distracted by Blu who is talking excitedly about how he just learnt a new dessert recipe from his mum.

"I suppose that wouldn’t take us off track too much." She says, looking at her watch and then tapping me on the nose.

I follow her through the winding corridors and the boys wait dutifully outside. 

"You’re this one." Hadley says pointing to a blue door. "Have a great lesson, Wil" She says ruffling my hair as she always does, with that she ushers me into the darkened room. It takes me one glance at everyone with their notebooks out to realise that we are doing theory yet a-fricking-gain. Luckily, I managed to grab a fidget toy when Hadley was getting dressed and might not die of not moving this time.

What’s the point in doing dance if you don’t get to dance? Hopefully the others are having more fun.

\----------

We watch as Hadley guides Willow to her class.

“Hopefully, they’ll be back before Christmas.” Blu comments. Followed by a snigger from Elliot.

They get back pretty quickly and we continue our journey, now towards Blu’s class, he looks a little stressed but nowhere near the raging anxiety he had yesterday.

“You gonna be okay?” I hear Hadley say to Blu. “You know if you need me, all it takes is a text and I’m here.”

Blu nods, taking a deep breath. “It’s going to be okay this time.” He assures her, and by the looks of it himself too.

“Wait.” Hadley says, “I’m going to find you a buddy.”

Blu’s eyes widen, “You what? Um, Haldey, no I’ll be fine really.” He waves his hands to emphasise just how little this needs to happen.

Haldey is already looking around for a person who fits her criteria and by the way she grabs Blus arm and begins marching, she’s found someone.

I follow her, intrigued. Elliot hangs around near the door before nervously following us into the lecture hall. We’re not technically supposed to be in here but there’s so little people here so early (Hadley might say late but there’s a solid 10 minutes before class actually starts) that Hadley and I could easily fight anyone who points out our trespassing.

“Hi!” She says, “I’m Hadley.” She reaches her hand out and he shakes it cautiously while eyeing her up and down.

“This is Blu.” She gives a little gesture toward Blu’s flaming face and he jerkily juts his hand to allow the pale boy to shake his hand as well.

“Yeah the kid who ran out of class a couple days ago and the club yesterday. You gonna make a habit of that?” He says laughing lightly.

Hadley winces but denies that he’ll continue to do that, taking over Blu as he sputters.

“Yes, well. I was hoping you’d, maybe.” She stops, rewording herself. “I was hoping you two could be friends or at least you could look out for him.”

“Sure.” He says, shrugging a little and walking away, nodding in the direction of the door in an attempt to signal Blu to follow.

“Bye, I guess?” He says, jogging a little to catch up.

Hadley turns to us. “Well, let’s hope that goes well or at least better than last time.”

I think about asking about what happened last time, then I’m reminded that it’s probably best to wait for Blu to tell me rather than asking Hadley. Not that she would tell me anyway.

“C’mon!” Hadley calls to us, already about 2 metres ahead. Elliot and I pick up our pace walking in sync and linking arms like we used to do when marching down the street together.

“Elliot you’re just over there.” Hadley announces a couple of minutes later.

“I know that now.” He claims before walking in almost the opposite direction.

Haldey grabs him by the shoulders to reposition him and lets out a laugh followed by a sigh. He toddles off towards a door, one that both me and Hadley know for certain is actually a fire exit but none of say anything about it before he’s inside.

“God he’s an idiot.” She says to me, not a hint of malice in her words at all. I laugh at her and she gives me a look.

“He used to use fire exits all the time to get into buildings. I don’t think he even cares whether they’re alarmed anymore. If there’s a way in that isn’t an entrance you could count on Elliot to find it.”

“We’re trying to get him to stop.” It sounds like she’s talking about a heroin addict. “The ones on campus are alarmed and some of them even have cameras, we’ve had five notes from our RA in the last week.” She rolls her eyes but smiles at the ground we’re walking along fondly.

“You care about him, huh?” I ask, genuinely interested.

“Of course I do, he’s one of my pack members,” She turns to face me. “As are you. Don’t go forgetting that, we’re a good pack, we’ll never leave you out just because you’re new.” She gently punches my shoulder. “Where are you going by the way, we never discussed what you studied?”

“Humanities.” I say, and she takes a crumpled map out of her pocket where several locations have been circled in red pen. She takes out the aforementioned red biro and holds the lid in her mouth while circling presumably the humanities building. 

“It’s just down here.” I know where it is but it almost feels rude to tell her that after she’s taken everyone else to their classes. I have a feeling it’s tradition.

“Sooo...” She starts walking and I almost see words on the tip of her tongue and her mind ticking like she’s working out how to say something. Her scent wafts through the air and there’s a slight tint of anxiousness to her rosemary.

“Where are you staying right now?” She asks, her eyes darting up to watch my reaction closely.

“I’m renting a tiny little apartment just off campus.” I say cautiously. I think I can see where this conversation is going but I don’t want to assume, even if packs living separately at this age is almost unheard of.

“Do you think…” She stops walking to talk to me properly. “Look, we’re obviously still in early days but you’re one of us now. You’re one of my pack, so the idea of having you present alone really troubles me.” I can smell the Alpha pheromones that were released with that sentence. I get where she’s coming from, I vaguely remember Willow talking about her presentation. I can’t imagine it would be easy to get me across campus to their nest if I presented at home.

“Would you consider moving in with us?”

I stop. Even though I knew it was coming my mind still stops a little at hearing it. 

“Wow, really?” I ask and she nods, gauging whether or not I’m excited or horrified. I hope my scent gives away that I'm definitely excited. It might be a pain to move my stuff but it’d be worth it to wake up in Bl-Elliot’s- Elliot’s arms.

“You’re seriously asking me to move in with you guys?”

“Of course I am. Unless you don’t plan on sticking around?”

“No! I mean I’d love to, I just figured that- I mean I didn’t think you’d want-” I’m quickly interrupted.

“When are you going to get it through your thick head that I care about you, you're my pack. I don’t leave my pack.”

\----------

A couple minutes later we’re at his building. He still looks shocked that I asked him to move in and I feel a bit bad sending him to class like this but I’m not registered as his Pack Alpha on the school's system yet. I make a mental note to phone the school yet again.

“Have a great lesson.” I say, ushering him to go inside.

I walk away, remembering when Elliot was just our extra and not an essential part of our pack. Elliot was our missing piece. Rowan will only make us better, I know that now. I knew that when I saw him embracing Elliot just a moment after they found each other again. I know it even more now, he just fits right in.

I think our puzzle’s complete.


	19. The day pigs fly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A two-year time skip happens before this chapter :)

Chapter 19 - The day pigs fly

“Haldey, Hadley, Hadley!” Willow shouts from the kitchen.

“Yeah babe?” She says, swinging into the kitchen and planting a kiss on her lips, pulling her into it by the waist.

Willow nestles her head into Hadley’s chest. “We’re out of Lucky Charms.” She says, her voice muffled by the soft material of her red hoodie that quickly became joint property after Hadley chucked it at her two years ago.

I remember the play fight that started after Willow refused to give it back, that flimsy top did not stay put during that. My face flushes at just the thought.

“I’ll be sure to pick some up when I go to the store.” Hadley’s voice rings out breaking my train of thought. “Don’t forget you’ve got your leavers dance show in a couple days, you should probably practice a little. Not that you’re not already perfect.”

She nods before suddenly goes pale and rushes toward the bathroom. 

“Everything okay?” Hadley asks, concerned and quickly joining Willow.

Willow frantically thrusts open the bathroom door. “Wil?!” Hadley asks the smell of her concern striking through the air a lot quicker than her words.

A sudden raspy and wet, retching gag echoes from the bathroom. Hadley rushes in after her, closing the door firmly.

“Everything okay in there?” I ask. 

“Eli can you get us some water please?” I hear Hadley ask and I quickly rush to get a glass. The water overflows a little in my rush to get it to the bathroom and Rowan dislocates himself from Blu to go get paper towels. Blu huffs but settles back down into the nest, far too sleepy to try and find something to make himself dizzy.

I hand the wet glass to Hadley’s expectant hand before she closes the door again. A couple minutes later Willow comes out, looking washy in Hadley’s embrace.

“Not so tight.” She squirms as Hadley’s arms lock around her.

“I’ll call you in sick.” Blu suggests from the back of the room.

“No!” Willow demands. “I’ll be fine. I just need a sec.”

In a couple minutes she’s back to her normal self, rummaging in the fridge for something to take with her to class. After all if she can’t have Lucky Charms she might as well have ice cream. For once no one stops her; I can smell the pity and light panic in the room.

“Must’ve just had too many Lucky Charms.” Hadley declares, affectionately running her fingers through Willow’s hair.

“Don’t say those words.” Willow says, surprisingly seriously.

“What words?”

“Lucky Charms.” She says, wincing a little, “They make me feel sick.”

Hadley looks at her in complete bewilderment, before walking over to the window, concentrating hard, like she’s looking for something.

“What are you looking for?” Willow asks, a little worried.

“A flying pig.” Hadley replies bluntly.

Rowan comes into the kitchen, baseball cap on backwards. Hadley strides up to him seemingly giving up on her search in favour of flipping the hat round.

“You look like a fuckboy.” She says with no malice but no humour either.

“I must agree.” Blu says.

Rowan flicks it back grumpily, proceeding to cross his arms.

“UMM, EXCUSE ME!” Hadley says, Willow flinching at the sudden loud noise. Hadley continues, a little quieter this time. “You have been part of our pack for two years now! You are my Beta and you will listen to your Alpha.” She says it in a posh voice, pretending we’re actually a pack that says stuff like that. The day Hadley gives us serious orders and refers to anyone as their presentation is the day Hell freezes over. “Just this once though I suppose but if you get a burnt nose I will not cut another leaf off my Aloe Vera for you.”

Hadley snaps the case of her bright red glasses closed and pushes them up her nose. Now we all know it’s time for the day’s run down. “So, Willow, you're still going to school?” She nods brightly smiling in a way that almost makes me miss the way she’s still gently clutching her stomach. “We’re graduating on Sunday, Willow has a dance show on Friday that we will all be attending.” She flicks the page. “Then Elliot has a music concert on Saturday too.”

“This is going to be sooo great!” Willow says, clearly already over her temporary sickness.

\----------

The walk to each of our final classes feels just the same as it was right at the beginning. Willow and Elliot have just barely learnt their way to class, though Hadley still insists on taking them right to the door. Blu’s managed to stay in classes ever since he made friends with Adrien. In fact the last time I remember him coming out was the first few days of classes.

“Here’s you, Rowan.” Hadley says, theatrically presenting the door.

“Thanks, Had.” I say.

“You still look like a fuck boy!” She calls down the corridor before bolting out the door.

I sigh happily, walking into class but finally deciding to flip the hat the right way around before opening the door to the lecture hall.

I try to ignore the bright letters that are already on the board: ‘Hope you had a blast in humanities, when you leave though don’t blame me for you picking the wrong major.’

Mr Coswald is notorious for terrible jokes like that. It’s a running gag in class that you can’t laugh at anything he says because if you do he’ll switch your major to ‘one you can actually use’.

I hope he’s kidding about the wrong major thing because the only people who even seem viable for jobs in our pack right now are me and Hadley. The idea of letting Willow loose into the world is similar to releasing a bull in a china shop.

\----------

Class was great! I did so much practical since the dance shows only a couple of days away.

“Willow.” I hear from behind me.

“Had!” I say, launching myself at her.

“You look happy! And less sick.” She says.

“I feel it.” I answer, nuzzling into her chest. 

“I love you.” I say, which is slowly becoming an essential part of our routine.

“Love you too.” She says, kissing my head.

“Umm, one: get a room, two: we still need Rowan.” Elliot says, his arms crossed sassily.

“Alright, alright. I guess we’ll go get him. Be a bit mean to leave him with the nefarious Mr Coswald” She agrees.

I skip ahead for a little and then join hands so I can swing between them but after the first upward swing my stomach lurches and I instead decide to walk quietly at Hadley’s side.

After we get Rowan the whole rest of the day passes by in somewhat of a dizzy rush. Sometimes I feel sick, other times I feel fine but overall I feel tired and don’t want to leave Hadley, at all. She puts up with it quite well but I’m pretty sure that’s because I haven’t stopped scent marking her, something that while normal never happens quite so much.

After the third time of me leaving the table to go sit near the toilet Hadley phones the school nurse. She tells the nurse what’s happening and the phone is soon handed over to me. I eye up Hadley and decide that as much as it hurts to ask her to leave I figure I don't want her to know just how much I’ve been hurting today. She gets up and walks out, staying near to the outside door though, as I expected her to.

“Hello, is this Willow Navarreté?” A soft voice asks.

“Yes.” I manage to get out as another wave of nausea racks through me.

“Your Alpha’s just told me you're feeling quite sick. How much have you had to drink?”

Normally I'd correct anyone who calls Hadley mine. Today though I’m both very tired and for some reason it feels comforting. Like I’m hers so she’ll protect me. I shake the thought away and try to think about how much I drank.

“I’d say about two water bottles and a large milkshake.”

The nurse laughs lightly, tapping loudly into her computer.

“My Beta always says that’s the perfect remedy for nausea, a good milkshake.”

Her Beta’s right.

“I don’t think you're dehydrated. So how much have you had to eat today?’

‘I’ve had an ice cream, a sandwich and a couple of fruit pieces, not much really. Everything tasted off and then when I didn’t eat the nausea got worse and then I didn’t want to eat so Hadley just made me drink instead.”

“Hmm, quite a kerfuffle. How long has this been going on for?”

I side-eye the door hoping Hadley and the others are talking rather than listening. Unfortunately, I know them too well so I start talking a little quieter.

“I’ve been feeling it for a couple of days but I was only physically sick today.” I admit.

The nurse lets out a little hum of thought. Then she says something that makes me freeze.

\----------

She’s been in there for so long. I really wish she let me stay in there with her, to be part of whatever’s going on. But a key part to my pack is mutual respect.

Willow emerges looking a little shaken.

“What did she say?” I ask, rushing to her side and helping her back down to the bean bags that thinking about it we should really replace.

“She said that it’ll pass in a couple days and it’s just because I’ve been working so hard in dance, with all the stress as well she said it’s just like a little version of the flu.” She pauses, “Also I need to go to the store later… alone.”

“Why?” I ask, genuinely confused.

Her eyes dart around. “She said there’s some pills I need, but I can only get them on my own.”

She’s actually trying to lie to me right now.

I open my mouth to talk, then I stop. She’s never lied to me before, she must have a reason that she doesn’t want me to know.

“Take Rowan with you?” I ask. She opens her mouth to object but I interrupt, “Please?”

I mentally crack my knuckles before doing something I never thought I’d ever do. I make my eyes wide, as wide and pure as they can be then flutter my eyelashes that little bit.

“Are you seriously trying puppy eyes on me right now?” Willow asks, raising an eyebrow. She temporarily snaps out of her sickness. “I am the master of puppy eyes and am therefore immune.” She pauses. “But I guess he can if he promises to wait outside.”

\----------

“We may as well head out now, if you’re feeling well enough?” I ask.

Willow nods before slowly getting up out the bean bag with help from Haldey. She goes to get her coat and nicks some money from Hadley’s purse.

I’m jogged to the side, all of a sudden staring Hadley in the face.

I’ve never seen her so serious. “Look. After. Her.” She demands. “I mean it, Row. Something’s really wrong with her and we’re all counting on you to keep her safe.”

“I won’t let her out of my sight.” I assure her and I mean it, dutifully locking my eyes onto Willow. I know full well that Hadley will literally kick my ass if something happens to Willow, I’d kick her ass too if she let anything happen to my fellow Beta Buddy.

“You ready?” I ask, taking her hand securely. She nods and we start walking, she takes careful steps on the stairs, which is new for her.

I don’t let go of her hand the entire way there, stopping a couple times for her to catch her breath.

“Whatever's happening, I hope you’re okay.” I say. “You’re not alone.”

“You’re too sweet.” She says.

“Oi! Not nearly as sweet as Elliot or you.” I answer, before urging her to walk on.

A couple minutes later and we’re next to the shop. I hold the door open for her then wait outside, peering through the shop window. She walks around for a bit, and goes to the pharmacy but next thing I know she’s at the counter buying something. I watch her walk out and greet her at the door.

“So?” I ask. “Did you get the pills?”

“Didn’t have them.” She says bluntly, staring a little too intently into my eyes, as if she’s forcing herself to not look away.

So what’s that? I think, but don’t ask. Whatever it is, she seems to have it under control.

We walk home in a similar fashion as we came, except she keeps the bag distant from me. Presumably so I don’t see what’s inside.

\----------

Hadley’s waiting impatiently at the door when they eventually get home. It’s only been maybe 20 minutes but Hadley runs at Willow like she hasn’t seen her in 5 years. Rowan lunges to one side to avoid getting flattened, landing with a bump next to the nest. Elliot and I come to help him up while Hadley has Willow in an airtight grip.

“So, how’d it go?” I ask, planting myself next to Rowan.

“Fine.” He answers, then continues after seeing my discontent with his dull answer, “Blu, it was very uneventful.” He adds.

“You didn’t find anything out?” I ask, intrigued.

“I didn’t try to.” He replies, laughing a little at my nosiness, then taking his cap off.

It’s only then I notice. “Ro? Ro, the back of your neck is entirely burnt.”

“What?” He says, reaching up to touch it then wincing. I turn to Elliot with concern but he just gives me a boop on the nose for all my effort. I stand up and approach the mantle of plants.

I pick up the pruning scissors Hadley keeps and just as I’m about to snip the tip of her aloe vera when her voice rings out.

“Don’t you fucking dare. Those never grow back! Why can’t we just get aftersun? My poor plants!”

I give her one look and then clamp the scissors down. She lets out a dramatic wail, sometimes I wonder what she’d do with a pup if this is how she reacts to her plants.

I just chuckle and come back to carefully wipe the clear gel onto the back of Rowan’s neck. As I do so Elliot snuggles into his side with a content purr.

They’re so sweet together but I can’t resist giving Elliot a boop as payback. Unfortunately for him I still have aloe vera all over my hands and his nose is quickly covered with it.

He lets out a wail much like Hadley and Willow makes a comment about having a pack full of fusspots as the wail dies down.

There’s a moment of content silence before Hadley breaks it.

“Seriously though, don’t fuck with my plants.”


	20. Dance Baby Dance

Chapter 20 - Dance Baby Dance

I wake up the next morning with a similar churning in my stomach, I sit up slowly. Taking a peek at my phone, noticing that it’s only 6am which would normally be a huge problem. However, today it means that I can sneak into the kitchen to take some anti-nausea medicine without anyone seeing me, as long as I’m sly about it.

“Hey, Wil, you alright?” I turn around to see Hadley sitting bolt upright. Damn, my plans have failed.

“Yeah, go back to sleep. I’m just going to sit by the window.” I lie, waiting for her to settle down again before I creep away to the kitchen.

Unfortunately for me, while I’m being extra careful to not make any sound, I ever so quietly ram my toe into the table leg.

“Fudge!” I shout loudly, waking up every single member of our pack, except Elliot. It would’ve taken a noise the volume of a rock concert to wake him up.

“Oh, Willow.” Blu moans sleepily, while Hadley comes to my aid.

What the hecky peck do I do now?

“I’m literally fine, I'm just such a clutz.” I assure them, then add. “You should go back to sleep, it’s early.”

Blu looks at the clock. “Nah, it’s our last day. You guys deserve a proper cooked breakfast.” He says as he begins to stand up.

You know what? They know I’m sick, they won’t ask. At least that’s what I tell myself.

I take the pills out of my bag and get a glass of water.

“What are they for?” Blu questions.

“Just anti-nausea.” I reply, truthfully.

Blu nods and starts frying some bacon, making pancakes too and waffles. 

This particular kind of cooking is different, and usually a lot tastier. Right now he’s not cooking to get something off his mind, he’s cooking out of love for his pack. A little smile appears as he flips the first pancake, he turns to me.

“You know it can only get better from here.” He says, I look at him confused. “The first one’s always shit, then they get better until you get the last one.” He clarifies. “In my opinion it applies to children too especially, me and brothers.” His gentle smile morphs into a slight grimace.

I laugh a little, though the situation with Blu and his brothers is really no laughing matter. I wonder if they’ll come to see him graduate.

“Ready when you are.” Blu mentions, hinting at me to get some plates. I do so while the others get dressed.

Hadley walks out looking different. I stare trying to work out quite what’s different without being a bad mate and having to ask.

“I swapped my leather jacket out for a blazer.” She explains, rolling her eyes at my obviousness.

“Looks very professional.” I tell her, stolling up to her for a kiss.

\----------

I take over dishing up as Willow gets trapped in a Hadley hug. I watch as Blu arranges Willow’s food in a smiley face, a couple raspberries as eyes and an apple slice as a big, bright smile.

“Rowan, you wanna take them to the table?” He asks and I happily obey, giving Elliot a little kick as I walk past.

“Has he always hated mornings?” Blu asks.

“Ohhh yeah. He would’ve been late to school everyday if his parents weren’t scary as fuck.”

“Yeah? We’ve only met them once.” Blu says.

“Our house used to be a kind of, I don’t know, place of solitude for him. I’ve always wondered how he coped once I left.” I say while I line the plates up on the table, before plonking my butt on the singular bean bag that is at the table. I figure Willow should probably sit in a proper chair if she has any chance of dancing today. She’s been so excited about performing that it’d be a crime to have her miss out.

“I can still hear you guys you know.” Elliot mentions, muffled by the pillow. “Actually I don’t think I’ve spoken to them since the whole jumper thing.”

Blu chuckles a little before stopping dead in his tracks, “Wait, really?”

Elliot nods while sitting up, his hair sticking North, South, East and West.

“Whole jumper thing?” I ask, confused.

“They threw out that jumper you gave me when you left.” Elliot explains, “I was…” He blushes a little, “I was distraught.”

I walk over to my suitcase, picking out a grey sweatshirt I know I’ve had for awhile. So long that I actually can’t wash out my scent from it anymore. It’s as much a part of the sweatshirt as the fabric.

I chuck it to Elliot and he looks at it, his eyes a little teary before he stands up and walks towards me. He hands it back to me.

I look at him, only ever so slightly hurt because he’s still wearing that adoring look. “You don’t want it?” I ask.

“Why would I need a jumper when I have the real thing right here.” He says, pulling me into a strong hug.

“You guys, your breakfast is getting cold.” Hadley calls us. She continues to fill the silence as I stuff my face and Willow gently picks at her food.

“I have more pictures of the property my dads and I bought for us.” She says, pulling out her phone. It’s still astounding our luck that Hadley’s dads are property owners, let alone that they found a property like that for us.

“Tell them thank you.” Blu says, looking just as awestruck as I am at the pretty little house that has been professionally photographed.

“You’ll have a chance to tell my parents yourself after graduation on Sunday.” She starts collecting the plates. “Wil, Blu, your parents are coming. Rowan and Elliot?” She asks looking at me expectantly.

“Yeah, they’ll be there.” I ask.

Elliot looks somber.

“I hope not, I imagine my sister will be though.” He says, “Her name’s Rachel.”

“The Beta?” Willow says inquisitive. Elliot seemed to have a particular dislike for saying anything about his family, his sister was an exception though.

“Yeah,” He says smiling.

\----------

“Are we ready to go?” I ask, putting some of the pans away, then reaching for my coat.

“Yup.” Elliot answers, tying his shoes.

Willow walks out in a tight black leotard with a grey skirt lapping over the top.

“Very nice.” I say trying to ignore the fact that Hadley seems to have stopped functioning at the sight of Willow’s legs.

“Thanks, Blu.” She says running up to hug me, whatever that sickness was it must have passed: just in time for the show.

“Okay, okay they’ll be plenty of time for hugs later for now it’s time to drop Willow off at the auditorium.” She says excitedly while Willow claps her hands and jumps up and down with girlish glee.

“Everyone out.” Hadley says opening the door and filing us out like a supply teacher who has been left in charge of one too many rambunctious kids.

Willow goes down the stairs first, quickly but with care.

The three of us link arms and walk in a row, while Hadley goes ahead to keep Willow out of trouble. Most of the trouble consists of pigeons that come close enough for her to consider catching them through the glass. The murderous looks the birds give Willow don’t mean a thing compared to the don’t-you-fucking-dare look Hadley’s giving her.

“Hey look!” Rowan calls towards Willow. Once she’s looking he continues “I seem to remember being violently assaulted here.” He points to a door.

Willow laughs and goes to hug him.

“You know I’ve actually had a little bump on my nose ever since.” He says turning to the side. Low and behold there’s a little blip in his perfectly straight nose where it slants to one side.

\----------

I see the grand arches of the auditorium and tell my new found knowledge of our arrival to the rest of my pack.

“We’re here.” I say.

A relay of woos and a tired grunt from Blu follows as we walk in. The walk wasn’t long but considering that Blu probably hasn’t done exercise in a good two years. 

“Morning Willow.” A monotone voice comes from behind us and Willow’s head snaps round to see one of the heads of subject taking names as they go in.

“Good Morning Willow!” A way more excited voice comes from a young woman, wearing bright colours and with dyed hair. Looks like a dance teacher if I’ve ever seen one.

“Morning Miss.” Willow says brightly enough, but like there’s something weighing on her.

“Everything okay?” The teacher asks before brightening up and suddenly saying “You’re nervous aren't you?” She says, dragging Willow away to find the others and do some ‘intense breathing exercises.’

“I guess we’ll go get food?” Rowan suggests.

“We literally just ate breakfast!” Blu demands and Rowan continues,

“Yeah and it was delicious.” He says planting a small kiss on Blu’s forehead. “But Willow didn’t eat much of it and she’s going to need her strength for the show.” He smiles and then adds, “Besides, I’m always hungry.”

“That I can agree with.” Blu answers, heading in the vague direction of Coco’s lunchroom. I walk after him, pulling Elliot with me who is walking towards a random hair salon instead.

Once we get there Elliot picks up a baguette and picks out a slice of cake for Willow, “Maybe we should get a sandwich too? Since she may want something savory.” He asks me and I nod even though the day Willow turns down cake is the day my heart stops; he picks up a ham and cheese.

As Elliot buys the stuff as we take a seat.

“The show starts in half an hour but we should probably get there for 15 minutes before.” I look up at them, staring at the little furrows that appear at the mere mention of numbers and maths. “We have 15 minutes to eat.” I clarify before tucking in.

A couple minutes later and those who got food have eaten it, leaving only a few dirty plates and crumbs in their wake.

“Let’s-a-go!” I say in a mario accent picking up my bag and swinging it over my shoulder. Luckily managing to keep the loose pens and binders inside.

Blu, Elliot and Rowan quickly follow my lead as we head out and begin our short trek down the road. All 3 of them link arms, walking in a long line, occasionally twisting to let a person pass as they take up the whole pavement. There are odd grumbly students but a quick growl sent their way makes them think twice.

The familiar arch comes into view as we see the monotone teacher standing at the doorway taking names.

“Good afternoon, Miss.” He says, his voice drawling and my eyelids becoming heavy

“Afternoon. We’re here for Willow.” I say quickly and he presents the doorway to us.

“Are there assigned seats?” Blu asks, letting go of Rowan and Elliot and speed walking to my side.

“No, at least I don’t think so.” I tell him hoping that Willow has accidentally missed that fact, leading the way towards the door marked ‘entrance’.

Once I walk through I see hundreds of seats lined with a cheap red fabric.

“Front, back or middle?” I ask the boys, each of them giving me a different answer.

“Middle it is then.” I say, going for a compromise. The stairs are steep and I watch Blu carefully as he slowly makes his way up the steps that almost reach his knee. Rowan glides up them effortlessly as he finds a row of 4 seats for us. We sit down, sandwiching Blu in between us for safe keeping.

A couple minutes of fidgeting and listening to children crying later, the curtain rises to reveal the dance group. A mixture of elegance and rigid movements begins and soon all 4 of us are on the edge of our seats as the dramatic music reaches so loud that it feels like our heartbeats.

I’m already clapping loudly before they’ve taken their bow. It immediately comes to my attention that Willow is no longer up on stage. Before I can think any deeper, I notice the lady who stole away Willow when we dropped her off beckoning at me. I mouth ’me?’ and point to myself. She nods and opens the door waiting for me to come down.

“You guys stay here.” I say, making my way down the stairs.

“Is everything okay?” I ask her, the second I get out of the door.

“I’m not quite sure, you see Willow fell a little sick just after the show.” She says quietly before adding: “It’s great that she managed to finish the show though! She’ll remember it for the rest of her life and the defining moment of college…”

She continues to ramble as I walk past her and let myself backstage. Only to see Willow sat in the corner looking pale as tears spill, she doesn’t cry aloud though, she just keeps sipping at her water bottle.

I jog up to her and carefully wrap my arms around her, trying not to jerk her about too much.

“You better fucking tell me what’s wrong soon.” I whisper into her ear, careful to make my tone light and fun.

“You don’t need to worry, I’ll be fine.” She says, before pushing her forehead into me and adding “I love you.”

“I love you so much more.” I answer, cupping her head.


	21. Is it Cancer?!

Chapter 21 - Is it Cancer?!

The next morning I wake up with my head pounding as it always does this early. I think it must be something to do with me staying up way later than the others on my phone but like hell I’d admit to that. Hadley already complains about how I act in the morning if she knew it was my phone’s fault she’d confiscate it faster than a teacher in class.

“You guys are so loud!” I moan, burying my head into my pillow. If someone could just get me some ibuprofen and coffee first thing, morning’s would be so much easier.

“Not my fault you’re not an early bird like me.” Blu answers, smirking. I only look for a few seconds but it’s enough that my eyes hurt a little from the barely open curtains that are clearly not doing their job.

Hadley comes out of the bathroom in a speedwalk, throwing the curtains open as I grumble in objection. They’re working even less now.

“Elliot Francis Newbury get up!” She demands laughing.

“Why?” I moan. “I don’t have the concert until the afternoon. Which means technically I don’t have to get up until then.” She rolls me over with her foot and gives me a special look that is only reserved for mornings that I have come to know as ‘get up now or I’ll get Willow to sit on you’.

I sit up and take a look around to check for Willow, luckily she’s already in the kitchen and hasn’t noticed Hadley’s silent plea for her to sit on me. Instead she’s sitting on the floor, pale with a cold glass of water. It’s such a shocking contrast to the girl we saw on stage yesterday that it has me up and dressed in minutes.

She catches me walking over and a smile is plastered on. It’s such a difference to our usual Willow that it makes me a little disoriented. It had never occurred to me that her smiles might not be genuine and it shocks me.

“You’re up earlier, I was looking forward to sitting on you though!” Her tone is light but her eyes still look tired and weary, I wonder how well she slept. Thinking of it I think she was up and ready even before Hadley.

Which now that I think about it has happened ever since… 

She started feeling sick!

I go to ask her about it but I’m swept up into Rowan’s arms and he rests his head on my shoulder. I try to turn to look him in the eyes but he grips tighter and murmurs into my shirt something unhearable.

My head says to leave it be but my heart well my heart also says to leave it because my boyfriend is a dumb arse. Both of them. Both of them are complete and utter idiots and I love them for it.

I just begin to lean into his hold when he picks me up and I have to scrabble to find a grip on him. No sooner do I find a clutch on his shoulder, he puts me down on a chair. I look up at him in contempt but he just ruffles my head much like Hadley does to us. I’d only just done my hair and as punishment he gets my special occasion hair gel on his hands.

He cringes but then spots Blu out of the corner of his eye and sneaks up to him before he can realise Rowan’s plan. All too quickly we’ve all been covered from our hands to our necks in hair gel. Hadley wanders around the corner before letting out a large sigh.

“Shower. Now. Quick.” It doesn’t quite sound mad but she definitely doesn’t seem happy. 

We all rush to get soaped up and out as quickly as humanly possible. It’s cramped and none of them want to give me time under the water so I’m practically shivering by the time we’re clean. Luckily, they make it up to me by giving me the fluffiest and biggest towel.

\----------

When Elliot’s been wrapped up in the biggest towel and me and Blu have finally dressed he shoves us out so he can do his hair all over again. 

We sadly wander back to the kitchen, missing the star of the day.

This morning it looks like Hadley’s made breakfast while we were in the shower. It’s not as perfect as Blu’s but there’s just as much love put into making it. I slowly lower down onto the beanbag, crossing my gargantuan legs. On the table are four bowls of oatmeal, Willow’s is sprinkled with extra strawberry slices and sugar.

“Umm, excuse me? How come she gets extra?!” I jokingly object.

“You’re not an adorable sick child who needs protecting at all costs.” Hadley answers.

“I mean… He may not be sick but he is adorable.” Elliot says, emerging from the bathroom having put product in to tame the frizz while allowing the top to stay fluffy.

“Very nice.” Blu comments, strolling up and locking into a long kiss.

I dig my spoon into my oatmeal, breaking up the strawberry in it so I get a tiny piece per bite.

“Come on, Wil.” Hadley says, practically picking her up and putting her in the seat then pushing it in as far as it goes, like a mother trapping a toddler in a high chair. 

“You gotta eat, babe.” She says. We’re all becoming more and more concerned as each day passes. Something is definitely up and she’s definitely not telling us.

“Your tuner’s on the side near the shoes.” I inform Elliot. “You should get a little rehearsal in before we go, it shouldn't be hard, we have like 8 hours.”

Just like yesterday, Willow picks at her food with an unusual amount of fuss. We all watch in complete awe as she picks the sugar coated strawberries out of her bowl and takes a spoonful of just plain oatmeal.

“I’m actually really fucking worried about you now.” Hadley says, gently pulling her to one side.

“Look, you gotta tell me soon, okay? Is it cancer? It’s cancer isn’t it!?” Hadley questions, somewhat frantically before Willow catches her sleeve and pulls her into a hug.

“It’s going to be okay. I’m going to be okay.” She stops to think for a second. “What time does Elliot’s concert finish?”

Hadley swallows. “5.” She answers, now recomposed.

“Okay, tonight, after Elliot finishes: we’re going to have a picnic near the cherry blossom trees where I presented, and then I’ll tell you.” Willow says.

Hadley looks a little relieved but no where near calm, she’s overflowing with worry as she goes back to the table.

\----------

Hours and hours of pack jokes, sandwich prepping and heartwarming hugs later, it’s time to go to the concert.

Unlike my dance show, we’re allowed to hang out with Elliot during their rehearsal.

“Let’s get ready to rumble.” Hadley sings out of key as she rounds up the group and stuffs everyone’s pockets and bags with picnic stuff, ready for after the show. Handing Rowan the second biggest hamper, she takes the heaviest herself, much to his objections.

Blu goes to open the door for everyone and we feed out. I take my time going down the stairs, watching my footing. Hadley takes my hand on the last step, walking by my side while the others skip ahead.

She looks so stressed and deep down I know: I caused it.

“I’m sorry.” I tell her, tearing up.

“Why are you sorry?” Hadley says, immediately stopping in her tracks, “You’ve done nothing wrong. Whatever’s happening, must have been just as hard on you as it is on us-”

I interrupted her, “No! It’s a good thing. At least I think it is.”

She smiles, “Well, I look forward to finding out.” She reaches up and cups my face in her hand before realising the boys were waiting for us. She takes my sleeve and speedwalks up to them.

I continue to cry even though there’s really nothing to cry about. I cry because we’re graduating soon. I cry because I love my pack so very much. I cry because I want to chase those pigeons so damn much but my stomach hurts. This means that they’re allowed to enjoy the freedom of eating leftovers on the ground for another day. ‘Until tomorrow.’ I say in my head, glaring at them as I walk past.

“We’re here.” Hadley says, with me encased in her arms.

“I’m so excited.” I say, tears still streaming from my eyes.

“You look it.” Rowan says laughing a little but coming to join our group hug. Soon, everyone’s in and Hadley’s growling away any odd looks as we huddle: a huge clump of people in the middle of the corridor, blocking everyone’s way.

We manage to keep our little conglomerate mass together as we squeeze through the doorway into the hall. We stick to the back, watching over the sound checks, Elliot does the little bop that he dedicates to us which has me in tears purely because he’s just too sweet!

Hadley holds me as a weep and when Elliot gets back he passes me his tissue from his back pocket that Hadley uses to gently wipe away the tears. The crumpled tissue actually hurts my eyes because they’re so sore and swollen. I wince away and a frown tugs it’s way onto her face.

Then I start proper bawling. Full on I-can’t-deal-with-this-anymore bawling because Hadley doesn’t deserve this. She deserves someone who can keep her happy not spoli her pack’s day with stupid tears.

“What on earth is wrong?” Hadley asks me kindly, I don’t know what to tell her. Nothing, everything, anything; these are all valid answers. All of the above.

I just nonchalantly shake my head as she looks at me with pity. I don’t deserve her concern, I’m keeping stuff from her and then being like this. Ruining Elliot’s day, none of them did a single thing to wreck my special showcase day, but here I am ruining his.

“Chin up princess, or the crown’ll slip.” Elliot says, in return Blu gives him a questioning look that feels a little like a picture perfect image of ‘what the fuck?’. “It’s what my parents used to tell my sister when she was upset.” He shrugs.

“Hold on.” Hadley says, walking to the front of the lecture hall, towards a box of ukuleles. She comes back with a gleaming smile on her face and starts plucking at the strings melodically. Her singing voice is much like her personality, it sounds harsh at first but if you listen closely it’s warm and soft. I smile and throw myself at her.

“Mr Newbury, we need you to go backstage now. You’re second up so we best get you set up with mics..”

“Well, we better find a good place at the front.” Blu says, already heading towards the front row.

“Woah, the back would be better.” Rowan argues.

“Guys. We’re sitting in the middle.” Hadley announces, raising her eyebrows at Rowan when he opens his mouth to disagree. An eyebrow raise that screams ‘do you really wanna test me right now?’. They sat in the middle for my show as well, I wonder if there was a similar argument then.

Elliot gently jogs behind the stage and away as we find the perfect (compromised) place to sit.

\----------

I open the door and slip past to see a whole bunch of people, a boy with a red mohawk tuning an electric guitar, a girl in a white blouse doing little finger exercises with a stress ball (presumably ready to play piano). It stings me a little how much she reminds me of my mother. I still haven’t contacted her since the jumper. I wonder if I should, but I really don’t want to.

It’s the same petite build and way of holding herself that gets me, she would have loved to see me play on stage like this. Would have been so proud of me. Emphasis on would, there’s not a chance that with my pack in the crowd she would actually be proud.

Suddenly a loud round of applause starts and silence falls backstage. We can faintly hear the announcer talking and a couple of eye rolls tell me he’s been talking too long.

“Andrew Luang.” I hear called and the mohawk boy leaves to go into the hall. I find a place to sit and tune my guitar, I reach into my pocket and realise I totally didn’t pick up the tuner that Hadley set out for me. I’m going to have to find a stranger and ask.

“Heyy.” I say, strolling up to a girl with her hair slicked back in a bun.

“Hey?” She asks, looking confused. Clearly trying to judge if she knows me, theoretically she probably does but our lecture hall for music can sit hundreds easily so the chances of her recognising me are slim.

“Do you-” She raises one eyebrow, “-have a guitar tuner?” I finish.

She quickly responds, not missing a beat. “No but Andrew does.” She points to the mohawk boy who has now come back.

Out of all the people, she picked the most intimidating being to point me towards. “Thanks.” I say, not meaning it.

I take a breath and walk up to him.

“Hey!” He says, “You must be Elliot.”

“Yeah.” I say, confused as to how he knows my name.

“What can I do for you this fine afternoon?” He says, leaning back onto the wall.

“I left my tuner back at my dorm…” I tell him and he instantly reaches into his back pocket, reaching his arm out and I see a tuner sat on his palm. I go to pick it up, smiling in gratitude. He then quickly snatches it away. I knew this guy was too nice to be true.

“This has gotta be an exchange.” He says coyly.

“Come on dude, please?” I ask.

“Andrew don’t be mean.” The girl from before suggests and Andrew nods.

“You’re a country boy, huh?” He asks.

“Not really, I grew up in New York.” I tell him, Andrew raises his eyebrows.

Just then, with impeccable timing, Hadley pokes her head through the door to check on me.

“Are you nervous?” She asks, but I have a different issue right now. She almost immediately reads the situation and comes to stand to my right, slightly in front of me.

“Can I help you?” She asks, looking him up and down.

“I was just doing business with your little Omega here.” He says, challenging Hadley to a battle he is not going to win.

“Well, he’s done now. I will take care of anything else he needs.” She gestures for him to move along and he obeys, the smell of disdain emanating from him.

“You alright?” Hadley asks, pulling me into a heartfelt hug.

“Yeah, except I still don’t have a tuner.” I moan, while Hadley pulls something out of her pocket.

“I knew you’d forget it.” She says, smiling and presenting it to me.

I quickly pin it on the head of my guitar and tune the strings, “E, B, G, D, A, E.” I relay as I twist each peg.

I finish just as my name’s called and Hadley speedily rushes out to join the others.

I leave the room and head onto the makeshift stage, my heart beating in my throat. I hear the backing track start and I focus hard on plucking the right strings and positioning my fingers on the correct frets. As the music picks up I lift my head and start singing with it. I look at my pack in the audience; Willow’s leaning forward smiling away like nothing was ever wrong. Rowan has his feet on the back of the chair of the person in front while Hadley glares at him intensely, occasionally taking a break to smile at me. Blu’s the most noticeable, his eyes are locked onto me and I smile at him. He smiles back and I can see him blush even from here. A little laugh makes it into my singing and just like that, my performance is over.

After a round of applause, I walk off stage and waiting for me on the other side of the door is none other than Andrew. I turn around to go Hadley but he catches me.

“Hey, no need to get your Alpha.” He looks to the ground, before seeing everyone looking at him, “I come in peace.” He says jokingly.

“Very funny.” I say, deliberately keeping my expression entirely serious.

“Look, you were really good out there and I’m sorry I was annoying before, but just so you know, I was going to lend you my tuner eventually-.”

“Was that going to be before or after my cue?” I ask, fully aware that Hadley’s waiting for my signal. With her a couple feet away, even behind a closed door, I feel completely safe from everything.

A couple seconds of intense eye contact and occasional sighs later Rowan and Blu come in to fetch me.

“Picnic time!” Blu announces, stepping his enthusiasm back a little when he smells the tense atmosphere in this room.

“Everything alright, Eli?” Rowan questions, deliberately stepping to block Andrew from even looking at me.

“Of course.” I say, turning to look at Blu as he speaks.

“You were so good. I’m blessed to have you as my boyfriend.” I blush and thank him then turn back around to see Rowan staring down Andrew, who’s practically whimpering.

Rowan’s a nice guy, he truly is. But, he has a power that only two people in our pack do, he can be intimidating as fuck.

His cold stare causes Andrew to approach me once more.

“I know you don’t want to hear this, but I’m sorry. I’m sorry, okay?” He says, looking at Rowan.

Hadley comes in and, again, uses her talent of reading the situation and discreetly fist bumps Rowan.

Blu breaks the silence with: “Picnic!” He shouts like it’s a battle cry, leaving the room and dragging me with him.


	22. The final equation

Chapter 22 - The Final Equation

We head out and the cold air hits my face, it refreshes me in a way that releases my heart ache and my stomach briefly unknots. There’s been a couple of ‘Once in a Blue moons’ happen over the last couple of days, but it really hits me that this last week has been so different as I hang back with the boys and Haldey’s the one running ahead towards the picnic spot rather than me.

“Slow down!” I call to her, picking up into a small jog that makes me ever so slightly dizzy and makes me realise that my knees have never hurted more in my life.

She starts walking back towards me, linking arms and strolling slowly towards the cherry trees. I’m very glad that she lets us go slow though because I might very well buckle if she made me run.

Once we find a perfect spot, where the grass is lush and the ground is level enough that there are moderately less bumps to bruise us with, Hadley beckons Rowan and takes his hamper, pulling out a checkered blanket. She swooshes it over the ground like a shitty magician who thinks we don’t know the ground is still there after it’s been covered.

I watch as Blu and Elliot squish up so close that those walking by must think they’re conjoined twins. Rowan goes to help Hadley set up and takes a seat by my side, while Hadley eventually settles on the other.

Elliot breaks from his twin (I’m surprised it didn’t require a scalpel and forceps), reaching up to get his guitar before leaning back to rest his head on Blu’s crossed legs. He starts humming and strumming rhythmically while Rowan bops his head on the beat.

Hadley glances at me multiple times before I open my mouth to talk, but it’s not what she wants me to say.

“Juice anyone?” I ask, kneeling up to pour the carton into the little plastic cups. The ones that were most definitely stolen from Coco’s Lunchroom.

Rowan holds the cups steady, but my hands are so shaky from nerves I still spill a little on the blanket. What if this isn’t what they wanted? What if they’re angry at me? What if Hadley gets mad because I spilt the juice on her lovely picnic blanket?

I grab the napkins and furiously rub at the stain until the napkin is soaked and begins to leave little wet sausages of nakin behind, which just makes more of a mess and I have no idea how to get them off and when I try they just get rubbed in further and my short nails can’t pick them up! And what I’m just making worse!

I physically shake my head, trying to get these thoughts out of my head and soothe myself with logic. Mainly one piece of logic shakes of any doubt: they love me. At least I think they do, if they don’t this is going to be one very tense afternoon.

I look over to the left and the unisex toilet sign catches my eye, I laugh a little the thought that flashes through my mind far more enjoyable than my current ones..

“I don’t think I ever thanked you for that, by the way, Eli.” He looks confused so I explain further: “Carrying me home when I presented.” 

He laughs in turn. “Oh yeah, I remember.”

He reaches towards the juice while Rowan reaches for his third helping of crisps. Hadley slaps his hand away and hands him a bowl of carrot sticks, he pouts sulkily and they laugh.

Blu wriggles out from Elliot’s grasp, leaving Elliot’s head to drop to the floor, he sits up while Blu makes his way across the blanket, knocking over the Wotsits to plonk his butt on Rowan’s lap.

Elliot ambles over to Hadley, sitting next to her and fiddling with the laces on her shoes. By this point everyone’s staring at me, except Rowan, who’s averting his eyes in order to not add to my visible and smellable stress.

“Whenever you’re ready, Wil, no push from us.” He says while the others quickly agree.

I take a deep breath, closing my eyes for the exhale. They love me and I love them. I keep telling myself that, I mean it’s a fact, and it’s comforting. Even if sometimes it’s a little scary to admit that I love them even more than I thought I could.

I stand up and tiptoe to the other side of the picnic blanket, so I can see them all. Hadley’s dark hair is damp at the roots with stress. Stress that I can also smell in the air despite being outside which is quite honestly alarming. Rowan’s smiling at me, he almost looks proud, like an older brother who’s little sister just came first in a race to the next lamp post. Whereas Blu’s a little nervous but a gentle smile has worked its way onto his face, I think he knows it’s a good thing but he’ll always have that little bit of anxiety telling him the opposite, I smile back at him, trying to reassure him.

“Anytime soon?” Elliot questions before receiving a light punch from Rowan.

I snigger, opening my mouth to finally say what’s been weighing on me for so long.

\----------

She’s sweaty and pale but smiling. “So I know this may have happened a little sooner than we’d hoped not that I really know when you wanted this to happen.” The words speed out of her mouth at an alarming speed. Rowan looks her in the eyes, taking a deep breath and signalling for her to copy. Fortunately, she does.

“In 8 months-” She says very slowly each word taking on a different emotion from anxiousness to happiness to sadness. “We’re going to have a baby.”

Everyone looks straight at her, barely blinking.

“You’re-” I stutter.

“Pregnant.” She finishes calmly. Calmer than she has been for the last week. 

Completely instinctively I jump up.

“Who knocked you up?! I swear to God someone’s going to fucking die tonight-” I’m quickly interrupted by Willow in hysterics.

I turn bright red, before sitting down and truly taking in what she said. I’m a colossal dumb ass who probably should have thought a little bit more about Beta impregnation rates before foregoing condoms.

“We’re- we’re going to- have a baby?”

\----------

The amount of joy, love and excitement that last word was said with is ineffable.

Hadley runs at Willow with the biggest smile spread across her face I’ve ever seen, a smile so full of elation that she could be floating off into the sky. Everything else escapes her mind as she runs through the picnic like a bulldozer towards Willow, scooping her up into a bear hug.

“Pack baby!” Blu exclaims excitedly, joining the hug, followed by Elliot who drags Rowan with him.

This hug seems to last forever, it’s quite possibly the best hug of my life. It was no tighter than all the others but this one was filled with love and an overwhelming excitement for our future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the last chapter! We've loved writing this so much and will be continuing it. However, we're both very busy at the moment so there will be no set upload schedule. You can expect to hear from us about weekly give or take. We hope you can understand and we hope even more that you enjoyed reading this as much we enjoyed writing it!
> 
> The new series is called We 5 + 1: Adding up to us.
> 
> Catcha Later :)  
> (>‿◠)✌  
> ☜(ˆ▿ˆc)


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